Atlee not in talks to direct Don 3; rumours linking Shah Rukh Khan to project dismissed

Speculation surrounding the future of Don 3 has been put to rest, with sources clarifying that filmmaker Atlee has not been approached to direct the project and has no involvement with the franchise.

The clarification comes amid widespread rumours suggesting that Shah Rukh Khan had proposed Atlee’s name to revive Don 3 following Ranveer Singh’s reported exit from the film. According to sources close to the production, these claims are “completely untrue,” adding that Atlee has never been in discussions related to Don 3.

The rumours gained traction due to the successful collaboration between Shah Rukh Khan and Atlee on Jawan, which emerged as one of Bollywood’s biggest box-office successes. Released in 2023, the film crossed the ₹1,000-crore mark globally within weeks and featured a star-studded cast including Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi, with cameo appearances by Deepika Padukone and Sanjay Dutt.

In earlier interviews, Atlee had spoken about his experience working with Shah Rukh Khan, praising the actor’s discipline and commitment to pushing creative boundaries. However, those comments were unrelated to any future collaboration on the Don franchise.

Don 3 was officially announced in August 2023 by Farhan Akhtar, who introduced Ranveer Singh as the new face of the iconic character through a teaser video. The announcement marked a new chapter for the franchise, previously headlined by Amitabh Bachchan and later Shah Rukh Khan.

As of now, the makers have not issued any fresh updates regarding casting or directorial changes for Don 3. An official announcement is awaited.