India, May 30 -- C ontrary to reports that surfaced on Friday claiming actor Salman Khan had stepped in to mediate the ongoing Don 3 dispute between actor Ranveer Singh and actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, HT City has learnt that no such intervention took place. A source close to the development tells HT City, "The speculations of Salman Khan calling and acting as a mediator are not true. No such intervention has taken place." Ranveer was announced as the lead of Don 3 in 2023 through a stylised teaser. However, the film saw multiple delays in the years that followed. Sources close to the matter maintain that the delays did not originate from Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani. "Ranveer had come on board for the film and Farhan wanted to start it immediately after Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023). However, Ranveer had given dates to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Baiju Bawra and had already begun look preparations for the film. Post that, Prasanth Varma's project gathered momentum and Don 3 was again pushed from the actor's side," says the source. The source further claims that Ranveer later informed the production house about his plans to prioritise Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar. "He felt that after a string of non-successful films, this particular project had the potential to elevate his standing with audiences and that his coming on board as Don after that would be better positioning for the franchise." As per the source, "Once Dhurandhar picked up momentum, Ranveer backed out of Don 3 on December 20, 2025, just three weeks before the film was scheduled to go on floors." The fallout later escalated into a wider industry issue, with reports of a financial dispute between the actor and Excel Entertainment eventually leading to the involvement of industry bodies. Ranveer is currently all set to start filming for his next, Pralay....