Ranveer Singh and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Don 3’ took an unexpected turn in the past few weeks when the actor exited the project, following which the filmmaker’s banner Excel Entertainment demanded Rs 40 crore from Singh in damages. The conflict appears to be nowhere near its end. Sources from the Producers Guild of India have told mid-day that the matter has not been formally tabled at its general meeting yet, but is lined up for February-end.
Farhan Akhtar
“No formal complaint has been placed before the general body. But both sides will be heard informally,” said a senior Guild member. Another insider shared that following the informal meetings at the month-end, both parties will be given a 10-day window to attempt a mutual resolution. “If talks fail, the body is likely to escalate the issue to the Cine & TV Artistes Association [CINTAA]. CINTAA’s involvement would ensure that both producer and artiste’s interests are balanced,” said the insider.
Beyond dispute resolution, the case — in which Akhtar’s production house demanded compensation for losses incurred due to pre-production, scheduling disruption, and entourage costs — is also expected to become a reference point for policy reform with regard to escalating production costs. The insider added, “Producers today are bearing disproportionate financial pressure due to expanding entourage. Seeing that stars’ entourages remain bloated, as evident from this case, it’s best to put guidelines in place.”
