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Shah Rukh Khan's Don 3 Rumors and Casting Drama

Wednesday, May 27, 2026
5 min read
Shah Rukh Khan's Don 3 Rumors and Casting Drama

Rumors were swirling about Shah Rukh Khan’s involvement in Don 3 right after Ranveer Singh stepped out and FWICE issued that non-cooperation directive. It’s wild.

Shah Rukh had played Don twice already, in Farhan Akhtar’s movies. So when Don 3 was announced, the excitement just went through the roof. Everyone was waiting for him to jump back into that franchise.

But then things got complicated. Reports started hitting the wires saying Shah Rukh had actually refused to join Farhan on Don 3 .

A source spilled some details to Bollywood Hungama. They said, “It’s not that Shah Rukh hated the script. He just wasn't fully convinced.” He knows Don is huge. He wants to step back in only when he’s absolutely sure about the box office. The numbers weren't looking great, you know? He needed to be doubly sure before signing anything.

And then there was this other thought. The source mentioned, “Farhan has gone back to the drawing board. We just hope that when he finally meets SRK, the superstar will happily sign.” Imagine the fans. They’d be ecstatic. All that craze around the film. What would happen on the day they finally announced it!

Back then, SRK was busy. He was shooting Dunki with Taapsee Pannu and Rajkumar Hirani. Then he was gearing up for Pathaan with Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. And Jawan with Nayanthara, Priyamani, Vijay Sethupathi, Sanya Malhotra, all that stuff.

Pathaan became a monster blockbuster. People naturally hoped that this success would signal a return to Don .

But 2023 brought a shift. A source told Pinkvilla that Shah Rukh was open to commercial films. He wasn't really in the mood for the gangster cinema right now. He felt Don didn't fit the bracket he wanted for the next few years. He made that decision clear to the stakeholders at Excel.

Then there was the friction with Farhan. A source told KoiMoi, “Do you think Farhan could even consider another actor for Don ? But Shah Rukh wouldn't budge on not doing another film in the franchise. He felt he’d already given everything he had to give to those two Don films.”

Farhan was reportedly aware the audience might struggle with a new Don . But Shah Rukh argued, “If James Bond could change his look, so could Don .” The insider added something sharp: “Khan Sahib didn’t leave Farhan with much choice. Either he shelved the franchise or cast someone else.” Ranveer reportedly pushed for his own casting. He chased Farhan and producer Ritesh Sidhwani, trying to get him in.

Meanwhile, Ranveer’s focus seemed to change after Dhundhar blew up. A source told Pinkvilla that he really wanted to work with directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Lokesh Kanagaraj, and Atlee. He just didn't want to be stuck in a string of gangster films, especially since Dhundhar already cemented that image.

In January this year, TellyChakkar claimed that after Ranveer left, Shah Rukh was likely to come back as Don . But there was a catch. He was ‘willing’ to reprise the role, but only if Jawan director Atlee got involved in the Don franchise. No official confirmation on that yet.

As for the leads? Kiara Advani was initially signed for the female role opposite Ranveer. But things shifted. Now, reports say she pulled out. Kriti Sanon stepped in. No official word on the leading lady yet.

And the antagonist for Don 3 ? Reports suggest Vikrant Massey and Vijay Deverakonda were approached. But both actors turned them down. They felt the character didn't have enough depth. It’s all very uncertain right now.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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