The dispute between actor Ranveer Singh and filmmaker-producer Farhan Akhtar over ‘Don 3’ has drawn one of Bollywood’s biggest names into orbit. Salman Khan has reportedly reached out to both sides and urged them to resolve their differences privately to avoid public conflict.
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
What Salman Khan did
According to reports, Salman Khan personally called both Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar. He spoke to each of them separately, asking them to settle the matter without hurting the future of their respective projects. He explained to Farhan that creative differences are a common occurrence in the industry, and he had a long conversation with Ranveer to understand his position. And, he also told both parties to think of themselves as one industry and consider working on another project together once the current conflict settles.
Reports say Salman does not want any legal turbulence between Ranveer and Farhan. He also does not want film bodies to take any uninformed decision. He has asked both parties to sort out their differences without involving any third party, including himself.
Salman is said to be standing by Farhan over the losses incurred, while also encouraging Ranveer to focus on a new project to build on the success of ‘Dhurandhar’.
The ‘Don’ franchise: A brief background
The ‘Don’ franchise was a creation of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. The original 1978 film, directed by Chandra Barot, starred Amitabh Bachchan in dual roles. Farhan Akhtar, son of Javed Akhtar, rebooted the franchise in 2006 with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. A sequel followed in 2011.
The character of ‘Don’ was written by Javed Akhtar and his then creative partner Salim Khan, who is the father of Salman Khan. This connection gives Salman a personal stake in the franchise’s legacy.
‘Don 3’ was announced in August 2023 with Ranveer Singh in the titular role. The project was likely to go on floors in 2026 and was positioned as one of Excel Entertainment’s biggest productions.
How the dispute started
The disagreement began after Ranveer Singh exited ‘Don 3’, citing creative dissatisfaction. He was reportedly unhappy with absence of bound script, unresolved storylines, concerns over project management. He also did not receive an advance and was not compensated for time lost on other shelved projects.
Reports stated that Ranveer wanted a darker, more aggressive version of ‘Don’ with stronger language and more violence. Farhan reportedly preferred to keep the tone closer to the earlier films.
Ranveer’s exit from ‘Don 3’ was not spontaneous. An attempt was reportedly made to resolve the issue as early as March, but it was refused by Excel Entertainment.
Excel Entertainment’s financial claims
Excel Entertainment has claimed losses of around Rs 40 crore following Ranveer’s exit. These costs reportedly include pre-production work, planning, commitments made to meet actor’s requirements. The producers argued that such financial setbacks cannot be absorbed quietly and sought reimbursement.
FWICE Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit stated that Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani personally met the federation and presented audited records of expenditure. These included hotel reservations, overseas travel bookings, location recce costs, and arrangements involving more than 200 workers.
FWICE issues non-cooperation directive
After Ranveer’s departure, Farhan contacted the Federation of Western India Cine Employees. FWICE then issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer on May 25. The federation said Ranveer did not attend multiple meetings or present his version in person, despite reminders.
The federation warned that the directive could affect Ranveer Singh’s future film projects and advertisements. Since FWICE has more than 5,000 members and 32 affiliated unions, the non-cooperation directive would extend to technicians, workers, and even vanity van suppliers associated with upcoming productions.
Also Read: Ranveer Singh controversies: 7 times the ‘Dhurandhar’ actor faced legal action, industry backlash, or public outrage
Pandit stated that the directive came out not merely because of the ‘Don 3’ exit, but because the federation believed its process did not get respect. Ranveer Singh later responded through an official statement, saying his team had maintained silence to preserve dignity and avoid fuelling speculation.
Aamir Khan also approached, denies role
Before Salman’s intervention, reports had suggested that Aamir Khan had stepped in to mediate. Aamir Khan clarified that he no involvement in the fallout between Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar. Bollywood Hungama reported that the actor flatly denied any hand in the dispute, putting an end to rumours about his involvement.