Will Ranveer Singh make a mark in Don 3 or SRK be missed? As director Farhan Akhtar stands by his decision, netizens are a divided lot. Celebs share their opinions...

Sheetal

Ranveer Singh will walk into the shoes of legendary stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, as the new chapter of the Don franchise is set to unfold.

The first look teaser of Don 3 has already been dropped, but netizens couldn’t bear the shock of SRK departing the franchise, which resulted into a meme fest targeting Ranveer Singh. However, director-producer Farhan Akhtar stood by his decision. Truth be told, he had initially Hrithik Roshan in mind but after completing the script, Akhtar believed a younger actor like Ranveer was needed to take the story forward.

Meme backlash

From hashtags #NoSRKNoDon trending on X (formerly Twitter) to memes reading Don 3 as ‘Don’t’, trolls are rife. If one wrote, “Reebok nahi to Rebook hi sahi”… the dialogue of Kangana Ranaut from Tanu Weds Manu Returns, another one called Ranveer, “Chapri Don”. Also, a scene from film Sunday surfaced with the late actor Irrfan Khan playing Don in the comedy film while mimicking SRK. Sharing the clip, a user wrote, “Irrfan would have been a better replacement for SRK.”

New era

Ranveer Singh, on the other hand, upon the announcement of Don 3, expressed his gratitude. Sharing his childhood pictures with googles and a pistol, he wrote, “I’ve been dreaming about doing this for a very, very long time! As a child I fell in love with movies, and like the rest of us, watching and worshipping Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan —the two GOATs of Hindi cinema — I dreamt of growing up to be like them. …My two supernovas, the Big B and SRK, I hope I can make you proud. And my beloved audience, as always, I promise you…that I will do my very best to entertain you…in and as… Don.”

Farhan Akhtar backed his decision and reminded how he received backlash when he cast SRK. The latter not only starred in Don (2006), but also its sequel Don 2(2011). It is to be noted that SRK has been part of only one sequel film till date — Don 2.

At the same time, actress Zeenat Aman who played Roma’s character in Don (1978), gave her best wishes: “Congratulations, Ranveer! May you find a worthy Jungly Billi…” Reportedly, Kiara Advani has been finalised for Don 3 opposite Ranveer, who is likely to begin the shooting of Don 3 after he wraps up Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Baiju Bawra.

Fresh perspective

The success of Don 3 depends on various factors, including the storyline, direction and audience reception. While SRK’s absence might influence some fans, Ranveer’s involvement could bring a fresh perspective to the franchise. — Guneet Sharma, actor

It’s a gamble

SRK’s portrayal of Don has left a significant impact on the franchise, and his absence will definitely be felt by many fans. However, Ranveer is a talented actor known for his energy and versatility. Ultimately, the success of Don 3 will depend on various factors, including the script, direction and audience response.” — Charrul Malik, actress

Revamping Don

SRK is an iconic actor. It is natural for fans to be hesitant to see someone else take on the role. However, Ranveer Singh is a talented actor. He has proven that he can play a variety of characters and will sure bring his own unique style to Don. I think Don 3 has a chance of being successful, even without SRK. — Aadesh Chaudhary, actor

Acting matters

Ranveer is a talented actor, and he has proven his versatility in various roles. But, replacing an iconic figure like SRK is bound to get mixed reactions. If Ranveer brings his own charisma to the role while staying true to the essence of the character, he could potentially win over both old and new fans. — Aradhana Sharma, actress

Know the history of Don

Don (1978): Big B’s look for Don was inspired by Sanjeev Kumar’s role in film Naya Din Nayi Raat. Out of the nine characters that he played, the role of a masterji, where Sanjeev eats paan and has oily hair, was adapted in Don.

Don (2006): During the shooting of Lakshya, Farhan was listening to the CD of the album Bombay The Hard Way—Guns Cars Sitars. In this album, there was the title music of Don. While Farhan was listening to it, it reminded him how much he loved the original film as a child. He then got the idea of remaking the film.

Don 2 (2011): Farhan Akhtar returned to direction after a gap of nearly five years. Also it was written by fans only: two new enthusiastic boys, Ameet Mehta and Amrish Shah, along with Farhan.