In November, filmmaker Farhan Akhtar revealed that Don 3, which was announced in August 2023, would finally roll in 2026. But things seem to have changed dramatically in the past fortnight. Sources from Excel Entertainment have revealed to mid-day that Ranveer Singh has exited the action thriller, which would’ve marked his foray into the celebrated franchise. What caused the volte-face? A bunch of factors, we’re told, ranging from date issues to the actor’s commitment to Dhurandhar 2.

A source informed mid-day that the primary hurdle was Dhurandhar 2. “Given Dhurandhar’s wild success, filmmaker Aditya Dhar and everyone involved want to make the second part grander. For this, Ranveer will be required to shoot some additional portions in early 2026. After that is wrapped, the actor wants to turn his attention to Pralay, his zombie thriller with director Jai Mehta, as that remains a largely untapped genre in Hindi cinema. Talks about Don 3’s dates were going on for months. At some point, both the actor and the filmmaker needed clarity. The actor also indicated a hike in his remuneration after Dhurandhar’s success, which did not align with Don 3’s budget. The parting of ways was amicable, albeit inevitable,” said the source.

Talks of an exit apparently began early last week when Singh first met Akhtar. According to an internal communication shared with the team working on the film, which is in mid-day’s possession, this was followed by a formal meeting on December 19 that was attended by the actor, his management team, Akhtar, and producer Ritesh Sidhwani.

“Following the meeting, by Saturday, December 20, it was clear that the collaboration would not move forward. On December 22, Ritesh called for a meeting with all the department heads who were deep in pre-production. They were informed of Singh’s exit, and that the February shooting schedule was officially pushed.”

Now, the makers are looking for a male lead who can take the franchise, made popular over the decades by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, ahead. Kriti Sanon and Vikrant Massey had reportedly been signed on for the upcoming instalment. 

mid-day contacted Excel Entertainment and Singh. Both didn’t respond till press time.