The surrounding controversy Ranveer SinghHis exit from ‘Don 3’ continues to create controversy in the film industry. Reports claim that the project was shaped around the actor for almost 32 months before the collaboration ended abruptly in December 2025. Far from being a film in the planning stages, ‘Don 3’ was supposedly immersed in pre-production, with huge investments already made and multiple departments actively working on the project.According to Bollywood Hungama, reports suggest that Excel Entertainment is laying the groundwork to introduce Ranveer Singh as the new face of the ‘Don’ franchise in April 2023. The production house is said to have financed and filmed the teaser of the announcement ahead of its public unveiling on August 9, 2023.The appearance marked a major change for the franchise, as Ranveer stepped into a previously associated role Shah Rukh Khan. At the time, the decision drew a strong backlash from fans, with some welcoming the change and others expressing reservations about the redesign. The makers remained committed to their vision and centered the franchise around Ranveer despite the mixed response.“People forget what Excel did for this project. They didn’t just cast Ranveer. They relaunched one of Hindi cinema’s most iconic franchises around him. The entire Don 3 campaign, location and long-term planning revolved around Ranveer Singh, despite his back-to-back failures,” said reports.The reports also indicated that the partnership steadily progressed over the next two years. A term sheet detailing the main terms of Ranveer’s association with the film was reportedly signed in August 2024, while discussions continued on a specific deal. The final version of the script was reportedly shared with the actor’s team in March 2025, indicating that creative discussions were still ongoing. Industry watchers have noted that by this stage the film was moving towards production rather than continuing in development.
Extensive pre-production work by Ranveer Singh
In August 2025, Excel Entertainment shared an extensive schedule with Ranveer Singh’s team, including action workshops, costumes, look tests and principal photography plans. Production was scheduled to begin filming in January 2026 and continue until July of the same year.According to reports, Ranveer took part in action training sessions from November 3 to November 12, 2025, with expenses allegedly covered by the production house. Additional rehearsals, styling sessions and look tests were also said to be part of the preparations.“At that stage, this was not a film waiting for approvals. This was a film getting ready to go on floors. Multiple departments were activated, schedules were blocked and a lot of money had already been spent,” an industry source said.
Questions surround the output
What has left many people in the industry puzzled is the timeline before Ranveer’s exit from the project. Reports say that the actor attended script reading sessions with the director Farhan Akhtar and other key cast members on December 15 and 16, 2025. These meetings are said to have taken place a few days before the end of the collaboration.A trade veteran points out, “That’s the question everyone is asking. If there were fundamental problems with the script, the budget or the project itself, why go ahead with the action training, dress tests, rehearsals and script readings? Ranveer or his team have yet to respond convincingly.”An appearance test scheduled for December 17 was canceled shortly before it was scheduled to take place. Three days later, on 20 December, Ranveer Singh informed the producers through a phone call that he would not be associated with the film.
The industry continues to debate the situation
Despite Ranveer Singh’s camp saying there were concerns about the project, the actor has not publicly addressed the issue in detail. Reports suggest that many in the trade continue to analyze the sequence of events and the circumstances surrounding the exit.A producer said, “Actors have every right to reject a film. But if preparations continue till the very end and a producer continues to invest money based on those commitments, then naturally questions will be asked of the actor.”As “Don 3” remains one of the most anticipated projects in Hindi cinema, developments surrounding Ranveer Singh’s exit continue to fuel debate across the industry, especially given reports suggesting that extensive planning and resources have already gone into the film.
