The reported fallout between Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar over ‘Don 3’ has become one of the most talked-about controversies in Bollywood, and comedian Tanmay Bhatt recently added fuel to the conversation with a cheeky joke during a YouTube appearance featuring Varun Dhawan.In a clip that has since gone viral across social media, Tanmay playfully referenced the ongoing dispute while praising Varun’s work ethic.“Varun, anyone who has ever worked with you has always said that despite being a big Bollywood star, you’re still like professional, committed, reliable. Which is incidentally exactly the kind of actor that Farhan Akhtar is looking for right now. I don’t know, maybe you should…”The remark immediately drew laughter from everyone present, including Varun himself. The joke quickly sparked discussion online, with some users interpreting it as a subtle dig at Ranveer Singh, while others felt Tanmay was simply poking fun at the much-publicised tensions between the actor and Farhan Akhtar. During the same interaction, Tanmay also revisited Varun’s old comparison of ‘Dilwale’ with ‘Inception’, teasing him about the statement. Varun clarified that the comment had been made in jest and was never meant to be taken seriously. The controversy surrounding ‘Don 3’ began when reports surfaced that Ranveer had exited the project due to creative disagreements with the filmmakers. Various reports suggested that the actor wanted the film to take a darker and more violent direction. Others claimed he was frustrated by repeated delays and the lack of a finalized screenplay.What started as speculation about a casting change soon escalated into a larger industry dispute. According to reports, Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment sought ₹45 crore in damages, while the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer.However, the move was met with criticism from several film and television organisations, many of which publicly backed the actor. Ranveer subsequently served a legal notice to FWICE, following which the organisation withdrew its directive.The controversy grew further when reports claimed that Salman Khan had stepped in to mediate between the two parties because of his close association with the Akhtar family. Those reports were later dismissed, with clarification emerging that Salman had neither contacted Ranveer nor Farhan regarding the matter.Meanwhile, Varun Dhawan is currently enjoying the theatrical run of ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’. Directed by David Dhawan, the comedy entertainer features Mrunal Thakur, Pooja Hegde and Mouni Roy in prominent roles and has been performing steadily at the box office.
