Suniel Shetty on Don 3 row: Ranveer Singh brought Rs 3,500 crore to the industry

Actor Suniel Shetty has weighed in on the ongoing Don 3 controversy, throwing his weight behind Ranveer Singh and questioning the calls to ban the actor. Speaking during the promotions of Welcome to the Jungle, Shetty said he could not understand why anyone would want to penalise an actor who, according to him, has generated nearly Rs 3,500 crore in revenue for the Hindi film industry.

Calling out the demand for a ban, Shetty said, “Who are you to ban? Try and understand that this kid has given Rs 3,500 crore revenue to the industry Why would you want to ban him? If you ban something that people want to watch, what exactly are you trying to achieve?” His remarks come as the reported fallout over Ranveer Singh’s exit from Don 3 continues to dominate industry conversations.

Can an actor be banned from working?

Shetty also dismissed the idea that any individual or organisation could stop an actor from working. In an interview with Times Now, he said, “Nobody can ban an actor, nobody can ban art. Nobody has the right to. The Supreme Court will throw out the matter in a second.”

His comments followed the controversy surrounding Ranveer Singh’s reported departure from Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3, which quickly evolved into a larger debate over contracts, creative freedom and the authority of industry bodies.

What triggered the Don 3 dispute?

Reports claimed that Excel Entertainment sought nearly Rs 45 crore from Ranveer Singh to recover pre-production costs after his reported exit from the film. What initially appeared to be creative differences between the actor and director Farhan Akhtar later escalated into a wider industry dispute over compensation and contractual obligations.

The situation intensified after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh. The actor subsequently sent a legal notice to the organisation, with his legal team arguing that the body had no legal authority to impose restrictions on an artist.

How was the controversy resolved?

Backing Ranveer Singh, Shetty expressed confidence that the matter could be resolved through dialogue. He said he believed Farhan Akhtar and the actor would eventually sort out their differences through discussions.

The standoff was later resolved after mediation by the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA), following which FWICE withdrew its non-cooperation directive. While the immediate dispute has been settled, Shetty’s remarks have added fresh momentum to the conversation around artistic freedom, industry regulations and the treatment of actors in Bollywood.