- Farhan Akhtar commented on actors leaving films at the last minute without naming Ranveer Singh
- Ranveer Singh exited Don 3 weeks before filming, causing disputes with the makers
- Saif Ali Khan left Dil Chahta Hai due to a scheduling conflict about a month before filming
Farhan Akhtar's Don 3 has been at the centre of controversy following Ranveer Singh's exit from the project weeks before it was to go on floors. The abrupt exit led to a dispute between the actor and the makers. The matter even escalated to industry bodies amid reports of disagreements over the film.
Now, Farhan Akhtar has sparked fresh speculation with a cryptic remark about actors walking away from films at the last minute. While he did not name Ranveer or Don 3, his comment has left fans wondering if it was an indirect reference to the controversy.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Farhan recalled that an unexpected change in the schedule of another film left Saif Ali Khan in a difficult position and made him reconsider his involvement in Dil Chahta Hai. The actor-director admitted that the possibility of losing Saif from the film left him devastated as he could not imagine anyone else playing the role.
“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," he said.
Talking about Saif's schedule conflict, Farhan said the issue surfaced around a month before the shoot was to begin. He then jokingly remarked that such last-minute situations seem to have become a recurring pattern these days.
“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, adding, “Not just with me. Aisa bhi hota hai. Huh?”
While Farhan did not mention Ranveer Singh by name, his remark inevitably draws parallels with the Don 3 controversy, especially since Dhurandhar actor's reported exit came weeks before the film was scheduled to go on floors.
Earlier, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees announced a non-cooperation move against Ranveer Singh over his decision to leave Don 3. The directive was revoked a few days later. The financial dispute over production losses remains unresolved, leaving the film's future uncertain.
