Actor Ranavi Singh publicly stated that he does not want industry organizations to interfere in the conflict related to his exit from the 'Don 3' project. He emphasized that this dispute concerns solely him and the film's producers, and not any other industry structure.
This statement came after Ranavi's father, Jagjit Singh Bhavanani, visited IMPPA and filed a lawsuit challenging the compensation claim of 450 million rupees put forward by Excel Entertainment. Currently, IMPPA is reviewing the documents submitted by both parties before making a decision on further steps.
A source close to the matter confirmed that Ranavi firmly stands by his opinion: no industry body should rule on a dispute that he considers a personal matter with the film's creators. His lawyers also stated that FWICE or IMPPA should not handle this issue as it falls outside their jurisdiction.
However, given that such organizations typically handle the resolution of similar disputes in the industry, the parties will have to follow established procedures. This stance has led to an interesting confrontation between Ranavi and IMPPA. The actor's side insists that the conflict must remain between the contracting parties, while the producers referred the matter to industry bodies because their attempts to resolve the issue directly with Ranavi failed.
The Chairman of IMPPA, Abhay Sinha, defended the association's intervention, stating that the organization is acting within its jurisdiction and established rules. He noted: 'We are a producers' organization, and we operate according to established laws. I cannot speak on behalf of Ranavi, but we are following legal procedure.' He added that they will be able to make a decision after reviewing the documents by both sides' lawyers.
Initially, this issue only concerned changes in the cast, but it has now turned into one of Bollywood's most high-profile industry disputes. In 2023, Ranavi Singh was chosen for the role of Don in the new installment of the franchise. Farhan Akhtar was supposed to be the director of the third film, and Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan produced it under the aegis of Excel Entertainment.
Nevertheless, by December 2025, Ranavi had left the project. Both sides presented different versions of the circumstances of his departure. Initial reports indicated that Ranavi himself withdrew from 'Don 3' due to creative differences, production delays, and script concerns. However, sources close to the actor told India Today that he did not leave voluntarily but was removed from the project following disagreements over his demands. After this, the dispute escalated into a financial one.
Excel Entertainment claimed that approximately 450 million rupees were spent on pre-production before the project was halted. These expenses included travel for location scouting abroad, hotel bookings, and organizing the work of a large crew. Later, FWICE also cited this amount during the proceedings regarding the producers' complaint.
The producers demanded compensation for the damages incurred after the actor's departure. Before the situation became a full-blown industry conflict, the parties attempted to reach a private agreement. Ranavi's side allegedly offered to pay 100 million rupees immediately and provide a 250 million rupee discount on future projects with Excel, totaling 350 million rupees. However, the producers rejected this offer.
After this, the case went to the Producers Guild of India, where several rounds of mediation were held to reach an agreement. Reports suggest that many prominent industry figures tried to reconcile the parties, including Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Hrithik Roshan, Alia Bhatt, Anil Kapoor, Rohit Shetty, and Rajkumar Hirani.
In one meeting, Ranavi explained in detail the reasons for his decision to leave the project. Topics discussed included the script, the film's creative direction, budget changes, and production delays. During one meeting, a question was raised by Ranavi and producer Ritesh Sidhwani: if Ranavi's film 'Dhurandar' had not become a blockbuster, would he have decided to abandon 'Don 3'? Despite all these efforts, the financial dispute amounting to 450 million rupees could not be resolved.
When the dispute was not settled, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani approached the Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA), from where the complaint was forwarded to the Federation of Western I