Don 3 was supposed to be a clean reboot for the franchise with a new face and fresh energy. But the film is stuck in a loop of casting rumours, exit whispers and industry chatter that suggests off screen drama.
Ranveer Singh was cast as the new Don. He brought youth, scale and brand energy to a franchise that needed reinvention after Shah Rukh Khan stepped away. But the announcement triggered immediate pushback from sections of the audience.
According to industry sources, the trouble wasn’t just public sentiment. The project’s timelines kept shifting as the script went through multiple drafts, and the prolonged uncertainty began affecting scheduling and financial planning. Where big-budget films are pre-sold across digital, satellite and international markets, delays translate directly into financial exposure.
Industry conversations suggest that one of the important friction points between Ranveer Singh and Excel Entertainment was the absence of a locked, bound screenplay. Since timelines are repeatedly shifting, the project is struggling to move into a concrete production phase. For an actor managing multiple large-scale commitments, the lack of clarity around the film’s start date and narrative direction became a growing concern.
There were also creative differences around the evolving draft. The screenplay reportedly went through multiple revisions, and discussions around character arcs and subplots did not always align. At the same time, the extended development period began affecting the film’s larger business ecosystem — from pre-sales planning to scheduling windows for a tentpole production.
While no formal approach has been officially confirmed, industry chatter indicates that Hrithik Roshan was discussed as a potential option during the period when the project was being recalibrated. Farhan Akhtar is said to be taking additional time to lock the screenplay before any casting decisions are finalised, something suggests that the makers are aware the next announcement has to land with conviction. Because this is no longer just about who plays Don.
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