BRIC Team reports: It was later rebooted by filmmaker Farhan Akhtar with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. Don 3, announced in 2023, was set to continue the franchise with Singh taking over as the new lead. The row has also reignited discussion around Singh himself - one of India's biggest film stars, known for hits including Padmaavat and Gully Boy, and his flamboyant, larger-than-life personality.Most recently, he starred in Dhurandhar, a two-part spy thriller which was one of the country's biggest box-office successes in recent years.
The BBC has asked the actor's team if the statement was issued by him but has not received a response yet.Singh is not the first Bollywood actor to face a non-cooperation directive from FWICE, although such action against major stars is relatively rare.The union has previously urged Indian artists not to work with Pakistani performers during periods of military tension between the two countries. In 2025, it issued a similar directive against actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh after he appeared alongside Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in a popular Punjabi comedy.Reaction online to the latest dispute has been divided.
Background
Some social media users questioned whether Singh was being unfairly targeted, pointing out that he was not the first Bollywood actor to exit a film.Others backed the producers, arguing that large-scale productions involve major financial commitments that can be disrupted by last-minute exits, and that Singh was "paying the price for being unprofessional".It is not the first time the actor has found himself at the centre of public controversy.In 2025, Singh faced backlash after mimicking a ritual sequence from the hit Kannada film Kantara during a film festival event. Critics accused him of disrespecting the cultural significance of the scene.
Key facts
- It was later rebooted by filmmaker Farhan Akhtar with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role.
- Don 3, announced in 2023, was set to continue the franchise with Singh taking over as the new lead.
- Critics accused him of disrespecting the cultural significance of the scene.
What this means
He later issued an apology.Earlier in his career, in 2015, he was among the celebrities caught up in the fallout from a controversial comedy roast that sparked police complaints and a wider debate about obscenity and free speech.Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.AsiaBollywoodIndia
