Farhan Akhtar says actors leaving films is 'pattern nowadays'. Dig at Ranveer?

Filmmaker Farhan Akhtar appeared to take an indirect dig at Ranveer Singh’s reported exit from Don 3 while speaking about the making of Dil Chahta Hai. Without naming Ranveer, the 52-year-old referred to actors leaving projects close to the start of filming and said it seemed to be “a pattern nowadays”, a remark that quickly brought the Don 3 dispute back into focus.Don 3, which was once set to star Ranveer, is yet to begin shooting but has remained in controversy for months. The issue began in 2025 when Ranveer reportedly walked away from the film just weeks before it was scheduled to go on floors. That was followed by a dispute between the actor and Farhan’s production banner, Excel Entertainment, with industry bodies also becoming part of the fallout. The matter remains unresolved.Farhan made the remark during a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India while looking back at 25 years of Dil Chahta Hai. He was speaking about the difficulty of locking down actors’ dates for his debut film. He recalled that Saif Ali Khan had almost left the project shortly before filming due to a scheduling clash with another film.“Saif suddenly had some date issue with another film that he was gonna do. The dates shifted, and he was kind of half in, half out on that. So he was in a bit of a spot, and he had to leave the film. And everybody tried to convince him, like, ‘Yaar, please.’ And for me, I was just like, my head was, like, destroyed. Because when we got, when I met him, when we got into it, there was nobody else who could have played that part. It was just impossible,” Farhan said. He then appeared to draw a parallel with the uncertainty filmmakers can face even now. “So, like, that was too heartbreaking for me. Not, maybe ten days, I think it was maybe about a month away from filming, which seems to be a pattern nowadays,” he said. He then added with a smile, “Not just with me. Aisa bhi hota hai.”Though he did not name Ranveer, the timing of the remark pointed back to the actor’s reported exit from Don 3 weeks before production was expected to begin.What Farhan said about Don 3 Farhan had earlier spoken to the same publication about the uncertainty around Don 3. Without discussing the specifics of the dispute, he said the experience had taught him to “expect the unexpected”.“What I’ve learnt is expect the unexpected. You can’t take anything for granted until it’s on film. You realise at some point that there’ll be a period that would be a bit challenging. You’ve had it good. It’s okay, just take it in your stride. I inculcated a lot from the experiences of people who came before me. There will be moments that will come along that’ll be challenging creatively and existentially. You’d wonder, do I have what it takes?” he said.He also said his career had already prepared him for setbacks. Farhan reflected on the period after Dil Chahta Hai, when his second directorial Lakshya, starring Hrithik Roshan, did not perform at the box office as he had hoped. He said it took him a long time to come to terms with that disappointment.The Don 3 disputeThe controversy around Don 3 stems from Ranveer’s decision to leave the film in December 2025, only weeks before filming was scheduled to begin. Excel Entertainment later sought compensation for losses that were incurred during pre-production. The issue then moved into mediation and eventually involved industry bodies. A non-cooperation directive was also issued against the actor by a cine body, but it was revoked within days.In an interview with Free Press Journal, Poonam Dhillon, president of the Cine and TV Artistes’ Association, said Ranveer was justified in offering Rs 10 crore in compensation and apologising after leaving the project. She also said lead actors are entitled to be involved in script and casting discussions because they ultimately face the audience’s response if a film does not connect.She added, “Yeah, he’s given two big hits with them. So, if there was any reason that he is not comfortable doing this film, it could be for various reasons. And kudos to him that he offered compensation for losses incurred and paid back the signing amount. Many don’t even do that.” Ranveer had earlier decided to return his reported Rs 10 crore signing amount for the film.How the row gathered momentumThe Don 3 controversy gained further attention after Dhurandhar became a massive hit in December 2025, earning more than Rs 1300 crore worldwide. Its sequel, released in March, performed even better and grossed over Rs 1800 crore worldwide.Ranveer will be next seen in zombie thriller Pralay, which also stars Kalyani Priyadarshan.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka SharmaPublished On: Aug 11, 2026 11:51 IST