“Who are you to ban him?”: Suniel Shetty defends Ranveer Singh in Don 3 controversy, takes sharp swipe at boycott calls

The controversy surrounding Don 3 has become one of the most talked-about developments in Bollywood this year, and now actor Suniel Shetty has weighed in with a strong statement in support of Ranveer Singh.

The row intensified after reports claimed that Ranveer Singh made an unexpected exit from Don 3, leading Farhan Akhtar’s production house Excel Entertainment to seek nearly Rs 45 crore in compensation over alleged pre-production losses.

As debate over contractual obligations and creative freedom continues, Suniel Shetty has openly questioned the idea of banning an actor.

“Nobody can ban art”

Speaking to Times Now, Suniel Shetty made it clear that no organisation or individual has the authority to stop an artist from working.

“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.

His statement comes at a time when the industry is sharply divided over whether actors should be held accountable for walking out of projects after commitments have been made.

Suniel praises both Ranveer and Farhan

While firmly backing Ranveer, Suniel also praised Farhan Akhtar, calling both men sensible enough to resolve the issue through dialogue.

He suggested that if the two sat down together, they could find a practical solution rather than letting the issue spiral publicly.

However, his strongest words were reserved for those demanding punitive action against Ranveer.

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“Who are you to ban?”

In one of the sharpest remarks during the conversation, Suniel highlighted Ranveer’s contribution to the film industry, pointing to his box office impact.

“Who are you to ban? This kid has given the industry ₹3,500 crore worth of revenue. Why would you want to ban him?” Suniel asked.

He also questioned the logic behind stopping an actor whom audiences clearly want to watch.

“If you ban something people want to watch, what are you trying to achieve?” he added.

FWICE row added fuel to the controversy

The issue escalated further when the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh.

The move quickly triggered widespread reactions online, with many from the film fraternity and fans supporting the actor.

Ranveer’s legal team strongly opposed the directive, arguing that FWICE had no legal standing to impose such restrictions.

The dispute was eventually settled through mediation by the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), after which FWICE withdrew its order earlier this month.

What’s next for Don 3?

At present, the future of Don 3 remains uncertain.

The makers have not officially announced a replacement or clarified the next steps regarding casting, leaving fans wondering whether the project will move forward anytime soon.

For now, the controversy has once again sparked a bigger conversation in Bollywood about creative freedom, contracts, and the limits of industry bodies.