A couple of days back, producer Ritesh Sidhwani in an interview confirmed that Farhan Akhtar is working on the script of Don 3 and an official announcement shall be made once the script is locked. 

Ever since then, Don 3 has been a trending topic on the digital platform with fans awaiting the return of Shah Rukh Khan as the most wanted Don. However, Pinkvilla has an exclusive update on Don 3.

According to sources close to the development, Shah Rukh Khan has decided to exit the Don franchise. “Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani have had multiple detailed discussions with Shah Rukh Khan on Don 3. Before the pandemic, a couple of ideas were also discussed, which took shape of a script through the pandemic. 

Meetings have happened recently too, but Shah Rukh is not too keen to get back as Don again at this point of time. He is willing to do commercial films that cater to universal section of audience, and Don certainly doesn’t fit the bracket of cinema that he is willing to do for the coming few years. He has conveyed his decision to the stakeholders at Excel,” revealed a source close to the development.

To make the franchise bigger, Farhan and co. had also come up with a unique idea of bringing 3 generations of Don together – Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and a gen-next star – to lay down a platform for the generational shift of Don. “But SRK felt the idea of spinning Don universe would be gimmicky and hence advised the team about his exit,” the source added. Farhan meanwhile is working on a fresh script of Don reboot now. Amitabh Bachchan features in Don back in 1978. The same was rebooted with Shah Rukh Khan in 2005. And now, come 2024, Farhan is planning to reboot the franchise with a new leading man.

“The talks at the moment are on with a hero who has done two films with Excel in the last decade. He is keen to step into the shoes of Don, but has his reservations too, as the legacy of the franchise and the actors who portrayed Don before can’t be replicated by anyone. Don will be rebooted once one of the younger actors takes up the challenge,” the source signed off.

Meanwhile, Farhan is presently busy with the preproduction of his slice of life film, Jee Le Zara, starring Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif and Ali Bhatt. The film is expected to go on floors in November with a start to finish schedule and will target a release in cinema halls in second half of 2024. Shah Rukh Khan on the other hand is busy shooting for Dunki at this point of time. In 2024, he will be occupied with the YRF Spy Universe Film, Tiger v/s Pathaan, which is a proper two hero battle royale between him and Salman Khan. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.

Source Pink Vila

BDST: 1935 HRS, MAY 16, 2023
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