The announcement of Don 3, which has been eagerly awaited in Bollywood, generated a range of responses. The creators revealed the next installment, featuring a new lead actor, Ranveer Singh. On the 8th of August, 2023, Farhan Akhtar took to his social media handles to announce the film, and without giving away much, the video featured number 3 along with a tagline, ‘A New Era Begins’. The following day, the makers announced Ranveer Singh as the new lead. While many celebrated the return of the franchise, some viewers believed that Shah Rukh Khan was the ideal fit for the suave criminal chased by the police of 11 countries. Ranveer Singh along with the creators Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani faced unwarranted backlash. Recently, Ritesh Sidhwani opened up about the casting facing backlash.
Ritesh Sidhwani opens up about the Don 3 casting facing a backlash
During an interaction with Indian Express, Ritesh Sidhwani engaged in a discussion about the “right casting” and when asked about the backlash faced by the casting of Don 3 even before its release the co-founder of Excel Entertainment said, “It’s nothing. We will answer that when we come to Don 3. When you see the trailer, you tell me if that guy lives up to what the character [demands in the film]. Now, it’s our job to make sure it happens.”
Farhan Akhtar opens up on Ranveer Singh playing the new Don
Recently, amid the backlash, even Farhan Akhtar spoke about Ranveer Singh replacing Shah Rukh Khan as the new Don during a conversation with BBC Asian Network. He revealed that Ranveer Singh himself was quite nervous before stepping into the shoes of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan as Don and also mentioned that the same kind of “emotional process” had taken place even during the time when SRK replaced Amitabh Bachchan. He said, “I’m just really looking forward to get it going. I mean Ranveer is amazing. He’s great for the part. He’s also as you can imagine, really excited and really nervous, about the thing you’re filling some big shoes before you. But we went through the same emotional process when Shah Rukh did it and everyone was like ‘Oh my God, how can you replace Mr. Bachchan?.’ That whole thing happened then.”
He further added, “It really is about an actor coming in and owning the part and making it really like, giving it their style and their flair. And he has that, he has that in spades. So, he’s going to do a great job. I think the responsibility is more mine now to make sure that the script and the film works out the way I imagine.” Farhan was also asked what qualities made for a good Don to which he replied, “Self-confidence, flamboyance, and the ability to do anything that your mind is set on.”
Along with sharing some new details about the film’s shooting schedule, Farhan Akhtar also revealed that the Don 3 will be released in January 2025.
