| Hindi line | Afrikaans dub | Somali subtitle | |------------|---------------|------------------| | “Tum mujhe kabhi nahi pakad sakte.” | “Julle sal my nooit vang nie.” | “Weligiiba ii qaban kartaan.” | | “Yeh game hai, aur main iska king.” | “Dis ‘n game, en ek’s die koning.” | “Kulan waa, aniguna boqorkeeda.” | | “Don ko pakadna mushkil hai.” | “Don vang is moeilik.” | “Don qabashada waa adag tahay.” | End of paper.
| Language group | % of comments mixing English | % mixing another language | Most frequent mixed element | |----------------|-------------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------| | Hindi | 68% | 12% (Urdu) | Yaar (friend) | | Afrikaans | 82% | 5% (English only) | Laaities (kids/guys) | | Somali | 77% | 18% (Arabic, Italian) | Walaal (brother) | hindi af somali don 2
Abstract The 2011 Bollywood action thriller Don 2 (directed by Farhan Akhtar) achieved rare transnational success, particularly in non-traditional markets for Hindi cinema. This paper examines the film’s linguistic and cultural reception across three distinct language groups: Hindi (India), Afrikaans (South Africa and Namibia), and Somali (Somalia, Djibouti, and Somali regions of Ethiopia and Kenya). By analyzing dubbing, subtitling practices, fan discourse, and code-switching patterns, this study argues that Don 2 serves as a unique case study for understanding how global Hindi cinema navigates postcolonial language hierarchies, African multilingualism, and the affective appeal of the anti-hero. 1. Introduction Bollywood’s global reach has been extensively studied in diaspora contexts (UK, US, Gulf), but less attention has been given to its penetration in African markets. Don 2 , the sequel to the 2006 remake of the 1978 classic Don , features Shah Rukh Khan as the international don attempting to take over a European cartel. The film’s extensive use of English, German, and Malay alongside Hindi, coupled with its European setting, made it particularly accessible to Afrikaans and Somali audiences—who are often multilingual. | Hindi line | Afrikaans dub | Somali