After Don 3 fallout, Producers Guild to meet Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar for mediation: Report

A report claimed that Ranveer Singh's rumoured exit from Don 3 has made Producers Guild of India think about taking initiative to control entourage expenses.

Actor Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment are reportedly at loggerheads following the actor’s exit from Don 3, with reports claiming that the production house is seeking ₹40 crore in compensation to recover pre-production expenses. As the fallout continues to make waves, the Producers Guild of India is expected to hear both sides later this month in an attempt to mediate the dispute.

In August 2023, Farhan Akhtar released an announcement video revealing that Ranveer Singh will be the new Don in the third film of his franchise.

Beyond just resolving the immediate standoff, a report suggests that the Guild may also use the case as a catalyst to frame clearer industry guidelines, particularly around entourage expenses.

Producers Guild of India to meet Farhan, Ranveer

Following Farhan’s reported ₹40 crore compensation demand from Ranveer after his exit from Don 3, Mid-Day reports that the Producers Guild of India is likely to meet both parties by the end of February in a bid to resolve the dispute.

The report quoted sources from the Producers Guild of India mentioning that the matter has not been formally tabled at its general meeting yet, but is lined up for February-end.

“No formal complaint has been placed before the general body. But both sides will be heard informally,” said a senior Guild member.

Another source shared that following the informal meetings at the month-end, both parties will be given a 10-day window to attempt a mutual resolution, saying, “If talks fail, the body is likely to escalate the issue to the Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA). CINTAA’s involvement would ensure that both producer and artiste’s interests are balanced.”

Beyond the immediate dispute, the case, where Farhan’s production banner has reportedly sought compensation for losses linked to pre-production expenses, scheduling disruptions, and entourage-related costs, is also likely to serve as a key reference point in discussions around policy reform concerning rising production budgets. The source mentioned that the producers today “are bearing disproportionate financial pressure due to expanding entourage. Seeing that stars’ entourages remain bloated, as evident from this case, it’s best to put guidelines in place”.

What do we know about the dispute

There are several reports claiming that Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment has reportedly demanded ₹40 crore in damages from Ranveer following the actor’s rumoured exit from the much-anticipated project Don 3. The rift between the two reportedly began after Ranveer opted out of the film, a move that the production house claims led to substantial financial losses.

Excel Entertainment has reportedly sought compensation for sunk development costs, as well as losses stemming from delays in scheduling, planning, and other related commitments. A letter accessed by Variety India is said to mention that the production house had to release several departments, even advising heads of departments (HODs) to seek work outside the project.

Citing the alleged financial setback, Farhan’s team now wants Ranveer to compensate the company for the losses incurred. The report a source saying that Ranveer “claims he exited the project because he was unhappy with the script”.

"He repeatedly requested changes and was dissatisfied with the final draft. Excel, on the other hand, maintains that it moved ahead with pre-production only after Singh gave his approval,” Variety quoted a source as saying.

It is said that Ranveer and Excel Entertainment held a two-hour-long meeting recently, which reportedly did not yield any resolution.

In August 2023, Farhan released an announcement video revealing that Ranveer will be the new Don in the third film of his franchise. Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan had played the role in earlier Hindi versions, with Prabhas and Ajith Kumar playing the role in Telugu and Tamil. There was no update on the film after that.