The highly anticipated Don 3 sequel has become one of the most talked-about controversies in Bollywood following the sudden exit of Ranveer Singh from the film and a mounting dispute with Farhan Akhtar’s production banner, Excel Entertainment.
The internal conflict has brought major creative and financial disagreements into the spotlight, leaving the future of the project uncertain.
Originally announced in 2023, Don 3 was set to continue the iconic action franchise with Ranveer Singh stepping into the lead role previously played by Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.
However, reports indicate the film stalled during pre-production, and Ranveer eventually chose to exit the project after the massive success of his 2025 film Dhurandhar.
A report by Bollywood Hungama says, “Ranveer blamed Excel Entertainment for unprofessionalism and not being serious about taking Don 3 on floors. He stated that Farhan Akhtar never had a bound script in place and that, as an actor, he prefers to work only with fully developed material.”
It adds, “Ranveer also pointed out that Farhan was never open to feedback on the script and had issues incorporating certain subplots. He further alleged that Excel was exploring the possibility of getting Hrithik Roshan on board and only re-approached him after the success of Dhurandhar, to capitalise on his momentum.”
What doe Farhan Akhtar have to say?
In contrast, Farhan Akhtar and producers Ritesh Sidhwani have pushed back, asserting that Ranveer had approved the script at various stages and that the production began only after his go-ahead.
They counter that the actor’s withdrawal late in the process has inflicted heavy losses.
There have been allegations that the actor demanded seven vanity vans and a DJ who would play the music that he loves.
“Farhan maintained that Ranveer never flagged any script issues. In fact, he was enthusiastic about portraying the third generation of Don after Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. He claimed the script was shared at regular intervals and approved by Ranveer at every stage.”
A source on anonymity told Variety India, “Ranveer claims he left the project because he wasn’t happy with the script. He kept asking for changes to be made and didn’t like what the final draft read. Excel, on the other hand, claims that they went ahead with pre-production only after Singh gave his go ahead.”
Excel Entertainment is reportedly seeking Rs 40 crore in compensation for the financial setbacks caused by the sudden changes, including sunk pre-production costs like scheduling, planning and development work undertaken for the film.
The dispute has grown tense enough that it drew the involvement of the Producers Guild of India, which hosted closed-door meetings to explore both sides and discuss industry-wide safeguards for similar situations.
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