‘He thanked me’: Poonam Dhillon reveals Ranveer Singh’s father texted her on WhatsApp during ‘Don 3’ crisis

Ranveer Singh’s exit from Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3 triggered a major industry dispute. Excel Entertainment, the production house run by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, filed a complaint with the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) over Singh’s sudden departure from the project.

Excel Entertainment informed FWICE that the actor’s exit had resulted in pre-production losses of approximately Rs 45 crore. Ranveer’s side, however, alleged creative dissatisfaction as the reason for the walkout. The actor was reportedly unhappy with the absence of a finalised script, unresolved storylines, and issues with project management. He also claimed he did not receive an advance and was not compensated for time lost on other shelved projects.

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Also Read: Explained: What led FWICE to tell Bollywood not to work with Ranveer Singh over ‘Don 3’ and what it means for his career

FWICE issues and then withdraws directive

The matter was escalated from IFTDA to FWICE, which instructed its over four lakh members not to work with Ranveer Singh until the dispute was resolved.

Singh responded by serving FWICE a legal notice, challenging the directive. He argued that FWICE was not the appropriate forum to handle what were strictly contractual issues.

FWICE subsequently withdrew the non-cooperation directive with immediate effect. FWICE president B.N. Tiwari said the decision followed intervention by IMPPA, the Producers Guild of India, and CINTAA. Tiwari said the aim was to bring all parties to the table so that neither producers, directors, nor the actor faced further issues. He added that no one had won or lost in the matter.

Poonam Dhillon’s role: Quiet but active

Veteran actress and CINTAA president Poonam Dhillon spoke publicly about her personal interactions with Ranveer Singh’s father, Jagjit Singh Bhavnani, during the peak of the controversy.

Speaking to Variety India, Dhillon said she had been in direct contact with Jagjit Singh Bhavnani and that he reached out to thank CINTAA for its backing during the dispute.

She said, “I spoke to Ranveer’s father at length and we have been corresponding on WhatsApp. He has thanked me for our support.”

Dhillon said she wanted to understand the family’s perspective and also explore whether CINTAA could provide any assistance. She added that the conversations remained constructive and focused on finding a resolution rather than escalating the dispute.

Family’s unhappiness with FWICE

Poonam Dhillon revealed that Jagjit Singh Bhavnani was unhappy with the way FWICE had handled the situation.

She recalled his words: “They were not happy with the way FWICE had handled it. I asked him whether CINTAA could be of help. But he said, ‘We didn’t involve you because we didn’t want to trouble you and we’re already in the process of sorting it out.'”

Dhillon explained that neither Ranveer nor his father felt the need for CINTAA’s direct intervention, as they were already working towards a resolution on their own.

No bad blood with Farhan Akhtar

Dhillon also addressed speculation about a rift between the Singh family and the film’s producers. Jagjit Singh Bhavnani clarified during their conversations that there was no animosity towards Farhan Akhtar or the Excel Entertainment team.

Dhillon further revealed that the family had already been in talks with Excel Entertainment on their own, separate from any union or body involvement.