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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline AUGUST 08, 2025 | The Indian Eye 32

Tirlok Malik, Chandra Barot / Director of “DON” and

the 3D Dream That Could Have Changed Bollywood

(Left) Chandra Barot with Amitabh Bachchan on the set of Don. Tirlok Malik (right) with Dharmendra

OUR BUREAU who agreed to collaborate and adapt went into full production. “I invited five weeks at #1 at the Indian box of-
the Depix technology for Big Dad- Chandra Barot to New York and in- fice. It was also proved to be a tech-
New York, NY
dy. It was a story of scale and spec- troduced him to Mortimer Marks. nical triumph.
hen Chandra Barot passed tacle—a heist action-adventure film Subsequently, Barot signed the three Years later, Chandra Barot and
away recently at the age infused with music, dance, and the stars for the film—Dharmendra, Malik met again at a film event.
Wof 86, obituaries rightful- unique charisma of its three super- Zeenat Aman, and Shammi Kapoor, By then, Barot had retreated into
ly celebrated him as the man who stars. And with Chandra Barot, fresh who was to play the antagonistic titu- semi-retirement, and Malik had be-
gave Indian cinema the cult classic off the success of Don, agreeing to lar character,” reveals Malik. come a torchbearer of Indian Amer-
Don (1978), starring Amitabh Bach- direct, the project was poised to be- Yet for Malik, Big Daddy was ican storytelling. The meeting was
chan, Zeenat Aman, and Pran, and come a landmark. not the end—it was a beginning. In emotional. Barot, ever gracious,
based on a script by Salim-Javed. But But as with many visionary ven- the early 1990s, he shifted his fo- congratulated Malik on Magic Mag-
among the many fascinating chap- tures, destiny had other plans. “The cus to the U.S., where he would go ic 3D, even as he expressed a bitter-
ters of his life, one unfinished dream idea was way ahead of its time,” Tir- on to pioneer a new wave of Indian sweet regret: “Big Daddy could have
stood out—a forgotten film project lok Malik recalls. “We were trying American cinema. His 1991 feature been something truly historic. Alas,
that could have changed the course of to bring Hollywood technology to Lonely in America, which he wrote, sometimes destiny has other plans.”
Indian cinematic history: Big Daddy, Bollywood storytelling, but the infra- produced, and starred in, became a Over the years, Malik never let
India’s first planned 3D feature film, structure, the costs, and the skepti- festival favorite and is today regard- go of his love for family-oriented,
starring Dharmendra, Zeenat Aman, cism from producers held us back.” ed as one of the earliest South Asian visually rich storytelling. He went
and Shammi Kapoor. Malik stayed with Barot at his diaspora films to gain international on to make films like Khushiyaan
The year was 1983. The coun- Peddar Road residence for two recognition. The film was a heartfelt and On Golden Years, continuing to
try was still new to the concept of months, as they worked towards get- exploration of immigrant identity craft stories rooted in emotion and
three-dimensional cinema. Holly- ting the project rolling. “After Don, and the challenges of straddling two cross-cultural values.
wood had just tasted success with Barot was in talks with Dilip Kumar, worlds—an experience Malik knew Today, Tirlok Malik remains
Friday the 13th Part III (1982), a who had shown interest in working all too well. a bridge between cultures, gener-
slasher film that became notable not with him. Barot was fixated on the Things came full circle when ations, and cinematic traditions.
just for its gore but for its ground- idea of directing two of India’s finest Malik collaborated with the creative Based in New York, he is currently
breaking use of the DePix 3D camera actors, one after the other. But that minds behind India’s first released developing multiple international
system. That technology, developed project could never materialize, and 3D film Chhota Chetan, on another film projects, including a children’s
by American inventors Alvin and Barot missed the opportunity to en- film: Chhota Jadugar (also known feature inspired by folklore and spir-
Mortimer Marks, captured the left cash the success of Don,” explains internationally as Magic Magic 3D, ituality.
and right eye perspectives on a single Malik. directed by Jose Punnoose and pro- As we remember Chandra Bar-
35mm film frame. An innovation that Despite the initial excitement, duced by Navodaya Appachan and ot and the luminous, if unfulfilled,
made stereoscopic 3D cinema more the project ran into insurmountable Allu Aravind. It combined Indi- vision of Big Daddy, we are remind-
accessible than ever before. hurdles—technical, financial, and an mythology, 3D innovation, and ed of a simple truth: not all dreams
In a bold and visionary move, logistical. The Indian film industry charming performances. Malik not are meant to be realized. “Chandra
Indian American filmmaker Tirlok in the early ‘80s wasn’t ready to fully only served as the U.S. producer on Barot, unfortunately, hasn’t gotten
Malik—then a young dreamer deep- support the complexities of stereo- the film but also played a pivotal his due yet. He was a visionary film-
ly passionate about cinema—sought scopic filmmaking. The sets were on-screen role, sharing screen space maker, a trailblazer whose legacy will
to bring this very system to Indian designed, camera tests were con- with the beloved playback singer and continue to illuminate the way for
screens. Malik had already begun ducted, and preliminary footage was actor S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, who the coming generation of filmmak-
conversations with Mortimer Marks, even discussed—but the film never played his father. The film ran for ers,” sums up Malik.

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