Salman Khan’s Non-Involvement Confirmed
Bollywood’s grapevine was buzzing with talk that Salman Khan had stepped in to resolve the growing tension between Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar over the much-delayed Don 3. But sources close to the matter have now debunked those claims entirely.
According to industry insiders, no such intervention took place. Reports suggesting the superstar called a meeting to mediate are completely unfounded. The truth is, Salman has stayed out of this particular mess, leaving the two parties to sort things out on their own.
Why Don 3 Keeps Getting Delayed
Ranveer was officially unveiled as the new Don in a striking teaser back in 2023, and fans went wild. But since then, the project has hit one roadblock after another. And contrary to what some might think, the production team doesn’t blame Farhan or producer Ritesh Sidhwani for the delays.
Here’s what actually happened: Ranveer had committed to Don 3 and Farhan was keen to start shooting right after Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023). But Ranveer had already given dates to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Baiju Bawra and had begun look tests for that film. Then Prasanth Varma’s project gained steam, pushing Don 3 further down the actor’s priority list.
Later, Ranveer informed the production house that he wanted to prioritise Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, believing that after a string of underperforming films, this project could revive his standing with audiences. He felt coming on board as Don after that would better position the franchise. Once Dhurandhar picked up momentum, Ranveer backed out of Don 3 on December 20, 2025—just three weeks before the film was set to go on floors.
Fallout and Legal Troubles
The fallout has been messy. Excel Entertainment is reportedly seeking damages worth Rs 40-45 crore from Ranveer over alleged losses incurred during pre-production. The matter escalated to the Producers Guild of India and then to FWICE.
FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit revealed that Farhan and Ritesh approached the body, stating significant investments had already been made—including overseas recce trips, hotel bookings, and logistical arrangements for a crew of over 200 people. Pandit further alleged that Ranveer had signed a three-film deal with Excel and actively participated in script discussions as well as the announcement shoot.
The controversy stirred up debate among industry bodies. CINTAA president Poonam Dhillon weighed in, saying that “banning is a strong word for a hardworking actor” and arguing that the actors’ association should have been consulted before any non-cooperation call was issued.
Meanwhile, Ranveer is reportedly gearing up to shift focus to his upcoming project Pralay, with the shoot expected to kick off soon. As for Don 3, the franchise remains in limbo—and Salman Khan is definitely not the one to sort it out.