Hrithik Roshan denies 'Don 3' rumours: 'Was never approached for film'

Actor Hrithik Roshan on Friday dismissed rumours linking him to Farhan Akhtar's ''Don 3'', saying he was never approached for the film. Actor Ranveer Singh was set to headline the third part of the franchise who was announced as the lead in 2023 but the actor has reportedly left the project owing to delays in the film going on floors. Following his exit, several media reports claimed that Roshan was in talks to replace Singh in the film. ''What started off as just a rumour has now taken a life of its own, and it's important to set the record straight,'' Roshan said in a statement. ''I would like to categorically clarify that I was never approached for 'Don 3' at any given time. I request the media to steer clear of any such unverified reports,'' he added. The ''Don'' franchise started as a modern reimagining of the 1978 Hindi film of the same name, starring Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role. In 2006's ''Don'', which was written and directed by Akhtar, Shah Rukh Khan played the suave underworld boss, with Priyanka Chopra starring as Roma. Its success led to the sequel ''Don 2'' in 2011, which was equally popular. Since then, Akhtar has been trying to make the third part. In 2023, it was announced that Singh would take over the role from Khan.