Daily Times

Days after film producer Ritesh Sidhwani gave an update on ‘Don 3’, the megastar Shahrukh Khan has reportedly taken an exit from the franchise.

As per the latest reports from Indian media outlets, King Khan has bowed out of the much-anticipated ‘Don 3’, leaving director Farhan Akhtar on a hunt for a fresh lead to introduce as the new Don.

Quoting a source close to the development, an Indian tabloid exclusively reported, “Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani have had multiple detailed discussions with Shahrukh 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 Shahrukh is not too keen to get back as Don again at this point of time.”

Reportedly, the makers had bigger plans for the franchise, getting the three generations of Don together, however, Khan wasn’t too convinced of the ‘gimmicky’ idea of the universe and informed the team about his exit.

“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,” the source said about Khan.

The insider further hinted, “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 person confirmed.

It is pertinent to mention that the threequel of the action-thriller flick was first confirmed back in 2018.

Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s banner Excel Entertainment got the rights to remake the Amitabh Bachchan starrer 1978 title ‘Don’.

They rebooted the franchise in 2006 with the first movie titled ‘Don: The Chase Begins Again’ starring Shahrukh Khan in the titular role, while the second film, ‘Don: The King is Back’ came out in 2011.

Both the movies were helmed by Akhtar and their banner bankrolled the blockbuster projects.