Suniel Shetty defends Ranveer Singh amid Don 3 fallout, says 'nobody can ban an actor'

Veteran actor Suniel Shetty has stepped into the Ranveer Singh-Don 3 row with a strong defence of the actor, firmly rejecting any talk of a ban and arguing that no one has the right to block an artist or his work.

Suniel Shetty defends Ranveer Singh

His comments come after weeks of chatter and industry friction triggered by reports that Ranveer Singh walked out of the much-awaited Don franchise, sparking a wider dispute involving Excel Entertainment and film bodies.

Speaking to Times Now, Shetty pushed back hard against calls for punitive action, questioning both the purpose and legality of such demands. “Who are you to ban? Try and understand that this kid has given ₹3,500 crore revenue to the industry. Why would you want to ban him? If you ban something that people want to watch, what exactly are you trying to achieve?” he said.

He also said that no one has the power to ban an actor or art, adding that such a move would not stand in court. “Nobody can ban an actor, nobody can ban art. Nobody has the right to. The Supreme Court will throw out the matter in a second,” he said.

The controversy first erupted after reports said Ranveer Singh had exited Don 3, a project backed by Excel Entertainment and directed by Farhan Akhtar.

What began as a creative disagreement was soon reported to have escalated into a bigger dispute over money and contractual obligations. According to reports, Excel Entertainment asked for nearly ₹45 crore from Singh to cover pre-production costs allegedly spent before his exit.

Singh reportedly returned ₹10 crore to Excel Entertainment, which was the signing amount, after he left the film.

The matter then drew in industry bodies, with FWICE issuing a non-cooperation directive against Singh. In response, the actor sent a legal notice to the organisation, with his legal team saying FWICE did not have the authority to restrict an individual artist’s professional work.

Backing Singh throughout, Shetty said he believed Farhan Akhtar and Ranveer would eventually settle the issue through conversation rather than confrontation.

The standoff eventually eased after IMPPA mediated talks between the parties, following which FWICE withdrew its directive. Even so, Shetty’s latest remarks have revived a larger debate in Bollywood over artistic freedom, trade body power, contractual disputes and the responsibility that comes with major film commitments.