Did you know Amitabh's iconic song 'Khaike Paan Banaras Wala' was never part of 'Don'?

Amitabh Bachchan is one of the finest stars the country has have seen. From his dialogue delivery to his dancing skills, everything that Big B does becomes a rage. Even though the Padma Vibhushan actor has featured in numerous films, one film in which he gave a memorable performance and outshined every other actor is none other than the 1978 blockbuster film Don. A major highlight of this action-thriller was its fast-paced music, especially the track Khaike Paan Benaraswala. But, do you that the iconic number was never a part of the original script and it was only added as a breather for the viewers on the recommendation of a celebrated actor? 

Also Read: Samantha Akkineni Starrer 'Super Deluxe' Has 5 Riveting Facts That Fans Must Know About

'Khaike Paan Benaraswala' Was Included In The Film As A Breather For Viewers 

As per an old article on Desimartini and IMDb trivia, Khaike Paan Benaraswala song in Amitabh Bachchan's Don was never a part of the original script. In fact, the amazing soundtrack was added post the movie was completed on the recommendation of veteran superstar Manoj Kumar. The man who helmed the entire film on his shoulders, filmmaker Chandra Barot, wanted the opinion of Manoj Kumar about his film. Thus, once Don was complete, the director showed it to the Purab Aur Paschim actor. 

Also Read: Aamir Khan & Others Who Refused To Sign A Film As They Wished To Essay Another Role In It

According to the Desimartini article, even though Manoj Kumar did enjoy the film and liked the story, he felt that there's no place for the viewers to get a breather or a washroom break. The director took Kumar's suggestion quite seriously and decided to add a song in the film. He then approached the music composers of Amitabh Bachchan's Don, the dynamic duo of Kalyanji Anandji. The popular musical Jodi had already composed Khaike Paan Benaraswala for one of Dev Anand's movies titled Benarasi Babu. However, the peppy track was not eventually included in the film for undisclosed reasons. 

Also Read: Randeep Hooda's Birthday: Throwback To His Phenomenal Transformation For 'Sarabjit'

That's when the makers of Amitabh Bachan's Don decided to use that particular track for the gangster flick. Another riveting trivia related to Khaike Paan Benaras Wala is that Kishore Kumar who did playback for the song while singing it actually chewed a real paan in order to get a realistic feel to it. This information was based on an IMDb trivia. Apart from Kishore Kumar, Amitabh too was asked to chew a pan while filming the track by the makers of Don, as they wanted the entire scenario to look natural on celluloid. And, the actor did as instructed and gave a marvellous performance. Rest, as they say, is history. 

Also Read:For Which Radio Channel Does Sulu Host A Show In The Film 'Tumhari Sulu'? Know Here

Upon release, the popularity of Khaike Paan Banaras Wala turned massive. One could hear the dance number playing at every event or party. And, it still remains one of the AB's greatest hits of all times so much so that a remix version of it was also added in Farhan Akhtar's remake of Don which released in the year 2006.