‘Wouldn’t have quit Don 3 if Dhurandhar flopped’: What Ranveer Singh said during mediation

Ranveer Singh skipped the initial meetings

Excel Entertainment first approached the Producers Guild of India early this year after Ranveer exited the project. What followed were a series of informal mediation sessions attended by around 25 senior industry figures. These meetings were deliberately kept outside the Guild’s formal processes to allow all parties to speak freely without taking official positions.

The report states that Ranveer did not attend the initial rounds of discussions. The first meeting was reportedly attended by actor Salman Khan, while later sessions included Hrithik Roshan, filmmaker-producer Karan Johar and actor Alia Bhatt, among others. The discussions focused on understanding the circumstances that led to the collapse of one of Bollywood’s most high-profile projects.

What happened when Ranveer finally attended

A later joint session brought together representatives from both sides. The meeting was reported;y attended by Aamir Khan, Anil Kapoor, Rohit Shetty, Rajkumar Hirani, Ashutosh Gowariker, producer Siddharth Roy Kapur and Viacom18 studio head Ajit Andhare, among others.

During the meeting, Ranveer reportedly outlined four key grievances that contributed to his decision to exit the film. He maintained that the script never reached a stage he was comfortable with. He also allegedly expressed frustration over Farhan Akhtar’s availability, claiming that sustained creative collaboration had not been possible because of the filmmaker’s other commitments, including concert tours and acting projects. Ranveer further argued that his remuneration had been renegotiated downward and that the film’s budget had been reduced significantly from an originally discussed figure of around Rs 300-350 crore to approximately Rs 150 crore. He also reportedly said that he had not received any signing advance for the project.

ALSO READ: Why Ranveer Singh exited Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3: Script disputes, slashed budget, Dhurandhar

Excel Entertainment’s response

When Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani were called upon to respond, they arrived with printed records of WhatsApp conversations exchanged with Ranveer over several years. According to sources present at the meeting, the messages showed Ranveer reacting positively to multiple script drafts that had been shared with him during the development process.

The producers also reportedly disputed claims that Ranveer’s fee had been reduced after terms were agreed upon. Their position, according to the report, was that any discussions regarding remuneration had taken place during negotiations before the term sheet was signed and did not amount to a post-contract reduction. Excel Entertainment similarly challenged Ranveer’s assertions regarding budget cuts and Farhan’s availability. Sources quoted by Variety claimed that many of those present felt the documentary evidence addressed a substantial portion of Ranveer’s concerns.

What Sidhwani asked Ranveer during the meeting

One of the most striking details from the mediation sessions concerns an exchange between Ritesh and Ranveer.

According to people present, Sidhwani directly asked the actor whether he would have exited Don 3 if Dhurandhar had not become a blockbuster. Ranveer replied that he would not have left the project under those circumstances.

Ranveer’s settlement offer

Ranveer later proposed a settlement in an attempt to resolve the dispute. The actor offered Rs 10 crore in immediate compensation along with a 25% discount on his fee for any future project produced by Excel Entertainment.

However, the producers rejected the proposal. Their position was that a discount on a future collaboration carried little value because they were no longer interested in pursuing another project with the actor and were instead seeking compensation for losses already incurred.

No resolution yet

The communication between the two sides largely ceased after discussions broke down. The matter was subsequently escalated from the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association to the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), which later issued a non-cooperation directive against Singh after receiving no response to multiple notices.

Singh has not publicly commented on the substance of the dispute. Through his representatives, the actor has maintained that he wishes to handle professional disagreements with dignity and mutual respect while focusing on his work commitments.

The latest development in the standoff came on Tuesday, when Singh sent a legal notice to FWICE challenging the non-cooperation directive issued against him. The film body is expected to announce its next course of action following a press conference in Mumbai.

As of now, no settlement has been reached between Singh and Excel Entertainment, and the dispute remains unresolved.