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Exclusive | Atlee not approached to direct Don 3; rumours of him directing Shah Rukh Khan ‘completely untrue’

Updated on: Jan 17, 2026 06:54 pm IST

There were rumours that suggested that Jawan director Atlee has been suggested by Shah Rukh Khan to revive Don 3 after Ranveer Singh's exit.

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After actor Ranveer Singh's exit from Don 3, there have been several reports about the film's casting that would revive the franchise. A report claimed that Shah Rukh Khan is now going to reprise the role, but on one condition. He wants Atlee, who directed him in Jawan, to helm the project. However, sources close to the project have exclusively disclosed that this rumour is not true.

Atlee not approached for Don 3

Atlee has directed several superhit films like Theri, Mersal and Jawan.

A source close to the project informs, “The rumors around Atlee being brought on Don 3 are completely untrue. Atlee has never been approached for the film and has nothing to do with the franchise.”

When Atlee spoke about working with Shah Rukh on Jawan

In an interview in 2023 with Hindustan Times, Atlee had shared about his experience of working with Shah Rukh. “I learnt a lot from Khan sir, by being patient, getting everything right, taking the film to the next level. Shah Rukh sir has taught me to raise the bar. My next film will have even better energy and we'll make something bigger than Jawan,” he said.

Jawan is one of the highest-grossing films in Bollywood. The film had entered the 1000 crore club globally within 18 days of its release. Apart from Shah Rukh, Jawan also starred Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles. Sanjay Dutt and Deepika Padukone also made cameo appearances in the film. The film was released on September 7, 2023, in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages.

About Don 3

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur

Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.

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Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
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