Don 3 Disaster: Did Excel Entertainment Just Kill Ranveer Singh’s ‘Pralay’ Funding?
Everyone is talking about the “Dhurandhar” box office records, but the real story is the absolute mayhem happening behind the closed doors of Excel Entertainment.
You thought the drama was only on the big screen? Think again. The Don 3 saga just took a turn so dark, it makes the underworld look like a playground.
This Friday, 13 February 2026, the streets of Mumbai are buzzing with a report that has sent shockwaves through the industry. The massive success of Ranveer Singh’s latest hit should have been a celebration, but instead, it has triggered a high-stakes financial blockade. If the latest whispers are true, the suave “Don” is currently trapped in a real-life corporate thriller.
The heart of the storm is a reported ₹40 crore financial standoff. Excel Entertainment, the powerhouse banner led by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, has reportedly taken a drastic step.
They have moved to block the funding for Ranveer Singh’s upcoming ambitious project, Pralay, until the ₹40 crore dispute surrounding his exit from Don 3 is settled. This isn’t just a minor disagreement; it is a full-blown industry blockade.
For those who haven’t been tracking the “Excel vs. Ranveer” war, here is the breakdown. Ranveer Singh was officially announced as the new face of the Don franchise back in 2023.
However, shortly after the massive success of his film Dhurandhar, reports surfaced that the actor had walked out of the project. Excel Entertainment claims this sudden exit wasn’t just a “creative difference”—it was a financial catastrophe.
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According to a report by SCREEN (The Indian Express Group), Excel Entertainment has reportedly met with Kumar Mangalam Birla, whose Birla Studios is the primary financier for Ranveer’s next film, Pralay. The goal? To convince the studio not to release funds or begin the shoot of the zombie-actioner until Ranveer settles the damages for Don 3.
Excel asserts that Singh’s departure led to massive “sunk costs,” including location scouting in August 2025, script development, and pre-production planning that were already completed.
The situation is getting murkier by the minute. Ranveer Singh, on the other hand, is standing his ground. He reportedly told the Producers Guild of India (PGI) that he never took a single paisa as a signing amount and therefore isn’t liable to return anything.
He even cited the example of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s shelved Baiju Bawra, where he spent a year in prep but received no compensation when the project died. He called these losses “the nature of the business”.
But Excel isn’t buying it. They claim the project only moved into advanced pre-production after Ranveer gave his formal approval of the script. In a move that highlights the severity of the fallout, the production house has reportedly let go of several departments and asked HODs (Heads of Departments) to seek work elsewhere. This indicates that Don 3, at least in its current form, is dead in the water.
Adding fuel to the fire is the “Hrithik Roshan” factor. Ranveer has alleged that Excel was unprofessional and was “exploring the possibility” of getting Hrithik Roshan on board behind his back, only re-approaching him after Dhurandhar became a blockbuster.
However, earlier today, Hrithik Roshan broke his silence, categorically clarifying that he was “never approached for Don 3 at any given time”. This clarification has left Ranveer’s camp in a tough spot.
With Birla Studios now reportedly involved in the blockade, Ranveer’s team has reportedly “softened” their stance and asked for audited accounts of the Don 3 production costs. It seems the “Powerhouse Singh” realized that if Pralay doesn’t move forward, his next big move as a co-producer could be in serious jeopardy.
This is, without a doubt, the messiest industry fallout we’ve seen in years. While actors walking out is common, a production house actively blocking the funding of an actor’s next project with a completely different studio is a “Don” move in itself.
Excel feels burned because they stood by Ranveer when his market value was low, and he left just when he became the “hottest property” in town. On the flip side, an actor should never be forced to do a script they don’t believe in.
This battle will likely set a new precedent for how “pre-production liabilities” are handled in Bollywood. My guess? They’ll settle for a “middle-path” figure soon because neither side can afford to let Pralay or the Don brand rot for too long.
Original Source: First reported by Variety India and Bollywood Hungama, with the recent funding blockade details revealed by SCREEN (The Indian Express Group).
Question For You: Do you think Ranveer Singh is right to walk out of a script he didn’t like, or should he compensate Excel for the 3 years they spent waiting for him?
Let me know in the comments!
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