Farhan Akhtar's Excel Entertainment seeks Rs. 40 crore in damages from Ranveer Singh over ‘Don 3’ exit: Report

According to reports, the production house has cited substantial financial losses resulting from the actor’s decision to step away from the project after pre-production had already begun.

Excel Entertainment is said to be seeking compensation for sunk development costs, scheduling disruptions, and delays linked to planning and associated commitments.

A letter accessed by Variety India reportedly states that the production company was compelled to release several departments from the project, with heads of departments being asked to look for alternative work due to the uncertainty surrounding the film.

Sources told the publication that Ranveer Singh maintains he exited the project because he was dissatisfied with the script.

The actor is said to have repeatedly requested changes and remained unhappy with the final draft. Excel Entertainment, however, has contested this claim, asserting that pre-production commenced only after Singh approved the script.

The report further states that representatives of Ranveer Singh and Excel Entertainment held a two-hour-long meeting on Friday in an attempt to resolve the dispute, but no breakthrough was achieved.

Discussions reportedly centred on accountability and financial responsibility, with both sides standing firm on their positions.

With tensions escalating, the Producers Guild of India has stepped in to mediate between the two parties in an effort to prevent the matter from worsening.

The dispute has also triggered widespread debate on social media platforms, particularly Reddit, where several users questioned the scale of the alleged losses and expressed support for the actor.

Some users argued that unless there was a binding written agreement, the production house may not have a strong case, while others questioned whether Rs 40 crore could realistically be spent during the pre-production phase.

Don 3 was officially announced by Farhan Akhtar in 2023, accompanied by a teaser introducing Ranveer Singh in the titular role. However, the film never progressed to production, and earlier reports suggested that the project was pushed to the backburner after the makers struggled to find a replacement for the actor.

As of now, neither Ranveer Singh nor Excel Entertainment has issued an official statement on the reported dispute.