The teaser of Don 3, the third instalment of the popular action-thriller franchise, was released on Wednesday, introducing Ranveer Singh as the new Don. The teaser has created a lot of buzz on social media, as Ranveer Singh steps into the shoes of Shah Rukh Khan, who played the iconic role of the charismatic and elusive underworld kingpin in the previous two films. The fans are divided over the casting choice, as some are excited to watch Ranveer Singh’s never-seen-before avatar, while others are unhappy with Shah Rukh Khan’s exit from the franchise.

The Legacy of Don

The character of Don was first introduced by Amitabh Bachchan in the 1978 film of the same name, directed by Chandra Barot. The film was a blockbuster hit and is considered a cult classic in Indian cinema. Bachchan’s portrayal of Don, a ruthless and cunning criminal who is wanted by the police of 11 countries, was widely praised and became a pop culture phenomenon. The film also featured Zeenat Aman as Roma, Don’s love interest and a secret agent, Pran as Jasjit, Don’s friend and ally, and Iftekhar as DCP D’Silva, the police officer who is determined to catch Don. The film had memorable songs composed by Kalyanji-Anandji, such as “Yeh Mera Dil”, “Khaike Paan Banaraswala”, and “Main Hoon Don”.

The Reboot of Don

In 2006, Farhan Akhtar rebooted the franchise with Shah Rukh Khan as the new Don, along with Priyanka Chopra as Roma, a police officer who is obsessed with catching him. The film was also a huge success and received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Akhtar followed it up with a sequel, Don 2, in 2011, which saw Don expanding his empire across Europe and Asia while evading capture by Roma and her team. The film was also well-received and ended with a cliffhanger, hinting at a possible third part.

The Announcement of Don 3

Fans have been eagerly waiting for the announcement of Don 3 for years, with speculations and rumours about the cast and plot circulating online. However, nothing was confirmed until Tuesday, when Farhan Akhtar, the director and producer of the franchise, took to social media to reveal a major twist. He announced that Shah Rukh Khan will no longer be reprising his role as Don in the third film, and instead, Ranveer Singh will be taking over as the new Don. He also shared a poster of Ranveer Singh as Don with the caption “Meet the new Don”. The poster shows Ranveer Singh in a black suit and sunglasses, holding a gun and looking at the camera with a smirk.

The Teaser of Don 3

The teaser shows Ranveer Singh in a hoodie, standing in an apartment overlooking a neon-lit skyline of a city. He narrates an ominous voiceover in Hindi, revealing his identity as Don. He then takes off his hood, lights a cigarette, and delivers the iconic line: “Tum toh hai jaante jo mera naam hai. 11 mulkon ki police dhoondti hai mujhe, par pakad paaya hai mujhko kaun? Main hoon Don (You know my name. The police of 11 countries are looking for me, but who has caught me? I am Don).” The teaser ends with the title card of Don 3 and the release date of 2025.

The Reaction to Don 3 Teaser

The teaser of Don 3 has received mixed reactions from fans and netizens on social media. While some have praised Ranveer Singh’s look and voice as Don, others have expressed their disappointment and anger over Shah Rukh Khan’s exit from the franchise. Some have also compared Ranveer Singh’s performance with Amitabh Bachchan’s and Shah Rukh Khan’s versions of Don and shared hilarious memes on the same.
Here are some of the tweets on the Don 3 teaser:

Conclusion

Don 3 is slated to release in 2025 and will be directed by Farhan Akhtar, who also helmed the previous two films. The details of the plot and the rest of the cast are yet to be revealed, but it is expected that the film will be a high-octane action thriller with a lot of twists and turns.
Ranveer Singh, who is known for his energetic and flamboyant persona, will have to prove his mettle as the new Don and live up to the expectations of the fans of the franchise. Will he be able to do justice to the role and create his mark as Don? Or will he fail to match up to the standards set by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan? Until then, stay tuned for more updates on Don 3.