What was once supposed to be one of Bollywood’s biggest franchise comebacks is now turning into a full-blown industry dispute. Farhan Akhtar has reportedly approached the Federation of Western India Cine Employees, better known as FWICE, seeking intervention in the ongoing Don 3 situation following Ranveer Singh’s sudden departure from the film.
According to reports, Farhan submitted a formal complaint through the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association regarding the actor’s exit from the project after being officially announced as the new face of the Don franchise. The issue has apparently now reached a stage where industry bodies are being pulled in to help settle the matter before it becomes even more complicated financially and legally.
FWICE has now confirmed that it will review the case and study all details before giving its official position publicly. Reports suggest the organisation plans to address the controversy during a press conference scheduled for May 25. The development alone shows how serious the situation has become behind the scenes because disputes between actors and producers rarely escalate this publicly unless large financial losses are involved.
The tension reportedly started after Ranveer chose to step away from Don 3 over alleged creative disagreements connected to the script and the film’s direction. While neither side has openly gone into complete detail about the fallout, multiple reports claim the actor felt his concerns regarding the screenplay were not being addressed properly. Eventually, the collaboration collapsed before the film even reached production stages despite being announced with huge fanfare back in 2023.
Rs 40 Crore Compensation Demand Reportedly Sparked Bigger Fallout
The biggest shock in the controversy came when reports surfaced claiming Excel Entertainment, the production banner owned by Farhan and Ritesh Sidhwani, demanded nearly Rs 40 crore in compensation from Ranveer after his exit. That figure immediately became one of the biggest talking points online because of how massive the claimed losses supposedly were even before shooting officially began.
There were also reports earlier suggesting that Ranveer might return around Rs 10 crore as part of a settlement attempt. But apparently, discussions did not stop there. Industry buzz now claims the actor may instead compensate the production house through a future partnership connected to his upcoming film Pralay. While details remain unclear, reports suggest Excel Entertainment could receive a stake in that project as part of negotiations to reduce tensions.
Meanwhile, Farhan recently addressed the uncertainty around Don 3 during an interview, admitting that nothing in filmmaking can truly be considered final until cameras actually start rolling. His comments felt especially telling because the project has now spent years stuck in delays, rewrites, casting rumours, and scheduling problems.
The franchise itself has faced enormous pressure ever since Ranveer was announced as the successor to Shah Rukh Khan in the iconic role. While some audiences were excited to see a younger reinvention of the series, others never fully accepted the casting change. That division only became stronger once rumours started circulating that Hrithik Roshan was being considered as a possible replacement after Ranveer’s exit. Although those reports were later denied, the speculation reportedly created even more tension behind closed doors.
The film’s production troubles have also affected the rest of the cast. Kiara Advani was officially announced as the female lead earlier, while reports claimed Vikrant Massey would play the antagonist. Later, rumours suggested Kiara had exited because of pregnancy scheduling conflicts and that Kriti Sanon was being considered instead. None of these developments helped stabilize the project.
At this point, Don 3 has slowly transformed from a highly anticipated action reboot into one of Bollywood’s most chaotic stalled productions. And with FWICE now officially involved, the industry clearly wants a resolution before the dispute damages the franchise even further.
