Ranveer Singh's 'Don 3' exit triggers high-profile guild meetings
What's the story
The exit of Ranveer Singh from the much-anticipated Don 3 has sent shockwaves through the Bollywood industry. The actor's departure led to two high-profile meetings under the aegis of the Producers Guild of India (GUILD), reported Bollywood Hungama. These discussions were attended by some of the biggest names in the business, including Siddharth Roy Kapur, Aamir Khan, Ramesh Taurani, and Kumar Taurani. Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani represented Excel Entertainment at these meetings.
Initial discussion
First meeting focused on understanding Singh's exit
The first meeting, held a week prior to the latest developments, was attended by senior producers, including Sajid Nadiadwala. The discussion examined the circumstances behind Singh's exit and the broader implications for producers when a film collapses during advanced pre-production. The stakeholders also deliberated on what safeguards can be put in place to prevent such situations in the future.
Detailed discussion
Second meeting revolved around allegations from both camps
The second meeting, held on a Saturday, February 7, at Lands End, saw Singh's allegations against Excel. A producer present at the meeting revealed, "Ranveer blamed Excel Entertainment for unprofessionalism and not being serious about taking Don 3 on floors." "He stated that Farhan Akhtar never had a bound script in place and that, as an actor, he prefers to work only with fully developed material." "Ranveer also pointed out that Farhan was never open to feedback on the script."
Dispute escalation
'Ranveer insisted on seven vanity vans...'
Singh's camp alleged that the actor faced three years of indecision, with Akhtar focusing on multiple commitments while Don 3 remained underdeveloped. Another source present at the venue revealed Akhtar's argument, "Farhan highlighted issues with Ranveer's temperament and demands." "Ranveer insisted on seven vanity vans, including two exclusively for his staff." "He also wanted a DJ on set every day, who charged a hefty fee to play music of his choice." "Farhan maintained that Ranveer never flagged any script issues."
Actor's frustration
'If there were problems even before the film...'
On the other hand, Excel reportedly informed GUILD that Singh's exit caused losses of around ₹40cr despite agreeing to several of his demands. Akhtar and Sidhwani are pressing for reimbursement and urging producers' bodies to act against unreasonable star demands. Another source told the outlet, "If there were issues even before it went on floors, he can't even think of the madness of unprofessionalism on sets from Excel." "He chose his sanity over a compromised project."