Not Ranveer's fault: Ammy Virk defends actor in Don 3 row, flags Rs 45 crore demand

Ammy Virk has backed Ranveer Singh in the dispute over his Don 3 exit. He questioned the timing of Excel Entertainment's reported compensation of Rs 45 crore.

In Short

• Ammy Virk backed Ranveer Singh in Don 3 row
• Virk sided with the actor and said it was not his fault in the entire fiasco
• He questioned the timing of Excel Entertainment’s reported demand for compensation

Punjabi actor-singer Ammy Virk has backed Ranveer Singh in the controversy over his exit from Don 3, questioning the timing of Excel Entertainment’s reported move to seek compensation. Ammy said Ranveer should not be held liable for the reported Rs 45 crore claim and suggested the demand had come after the actor’s success with the Dhurandhar franchise.

The dispute surfaced months after that success, with reports claiming that Excel Entertainment was seeking damages on the ground that Ranveer had walked out of Don 3 shortly before filming was due to begin. The matter remains unresolved.

In a conversation with Connect Cine, Ammy, who shared screen space with Ranveer in Kabir Khan’s 83, said he had confidence in the actor’s character and questioned why the production house had not moved earlier.

He said, “I feel, when he had a few flops, then you could have started Don 3. Then they ignored him. Now that Dhurandhar is a hit, they are asking for their money back. They can do whatever they want. Whatever they are owed, Rs 2-4 crore, take that and move on. Who is going to give Rs 45 crore?”

Ammy further said it was “not Ranveer’s fault”. He added that the production house could file a case if it wanted, but said, “These kinds of cases go nowhere. They go on for 20 years.”

Don 3 row

The dispute can be traced back to August 2023, when Ranveer Singh was announced as the new face of Don 3, stepping into a role immortalised by Amitabh Bachchan and later reinvented by Shah Rukh Khan. The announcement sparked intense debate among fans, with excitement over the franchise's return matched by scepticism over the casting change.

Farhan Akhtar's announcement teaser promised a fresh chapter for the iconic action franchise, positioning Ranveer as a younger, more contemporary Don. Yet, after the initial buzz, updates on the film became increasingly scarce. There was little clarity on the cast, production schedule or release plans, fuelling speculation about developments behind the scenes.

Several reports suggested that the actor had become increasingly frustrated by repeated delays and the absence of a locked screenplay. There were also claims of creative disagreements, with Ranveer reportedly leaning towards a darker and grittier take on the character, while the makers were keen to preserve the tone established by the franchise's earlier films.

The situation was said to have worsened when reports surfaced that the makers were considering other casting options even as Ranveer continued to be publicly linked to the project. What initially appeared to be murmurs of creative differences eventually escalated into reports that the actor had parted ways with the film.

The dispute soon extended beyond creative issues. Industry reports later claimed that Excel Entertainment sought compensation of approximately Rs 40–45 crore, citing financial losses incurred during the development of the project. The matter was reportedly first taken up by the Producers Guild of India before eventually reaching the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE).

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