A resurfaced clip from the fifth season of ‘Koffee With Karan’ has gone viral amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Ranveer Singh’s exit from Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Don 3’. In the 2016 episode, Ranveer jokingly accused co-star Ranbir Kapoor and host Karan Johar of “targeting” and “victimising” him after an awkward exchange about Deepika Padukone.
‘I feel targeted’
The trio first addressed the “elephant in the room” – Deepika Padukone, who was dating Ranveer at the time but had previously been in a relationship with Ranbir Kapoor. Trying to diffuse the awkwardness, Ranbir remarked that there was no tension between them. He even joked that he hoped Ranveer and Deepika would one day have babies who admired him as an actor.
Caught off guard, Ranveer laughed awkwardly and said, “Today of all days, Ranbir has decided to say something out of line. He is usually on point.” A visibly confused Karan asked, “Did he say something out of line?” while Ranbir himself looked surprised.
After a dramatic pause, Ranveer joked, “This actor-director combination is in cahoots. I am feeling victimised here. I am feeling targeted.”
Ranbir immediately joined in, turning to Karan and saying, “No, no, wait. I am here with you. We are supposed to victimise him.” “Exactly,” Ranveer agreed, while Karan laughed and responded, “Okay, victimise me.”
Mutual respect beyond the banter
Beyond the playful accusations, the episode also revealed genuine admiration between the two actors. At the time, Ranbir was going through a difficult professional phase and admitted that watching Ranveer shine on screen inspired him rather than discouraged him.
“When your films don’t work, there’s confusion and dilemma. You watch other people’s work, especially his work, and see him shining on screen. It doesn’t depress me, it inspires me. I am glad I have competition in this guy. Watching him in Ram-Leela, Dil Dhadakne Do and Bajirao Mastani makes me want to do better. I am scared because this guy has no limit,” Ranbir shared.
Ranveer, in turn, called Ranbir the “gold standard for young actors” and said, “He was the benchmark.” When Karan asked if he felt he had matched up, Ranveer responded, “Do I need to match up? Can I just do my own thing?”
The actors also revealed that they had discussed collaborating on a film together, which they called “Project X.” Ranveer immediately turned to Karan and asked, “Are you going to bankroll it?” prompting Karan to reply in disbelief, “What do I look like to you? A bank?”
Why the clip has resurfaced
The old episode has gone viral as Ranveer Singh faces intense scrutiny over his reported fallout with Farhan Akhtar regarding ‘Don 3’. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has issued a non-cooperation directive against the actor after claims that his exit caused losses worth Rs 45 crore to Farhan’s Excel Entertainment.
The resurfaced clip has drawn attention to the stark contrast between the light-hearted camaraderie of 2016 and the current professional turbulence. One fan commented, “From joking about being ‘victimised’ on a couch to actually being served a non-cooperation notice – how times change.”
Karan Johar on the Ranbir-Ranveer dynamic
A decade after that iconic episode, Karan Johar has repeatedly dismissed speculation of any real rivalry between the two stars. In a 2025 interview, he said, “There’s no ego at all. These assumptions are rooted in an old-school mindset. We’re all friends before anything else.”
He described how both actors have supported each other’s work, adding, “I remember Ranveer dropping by my house after watching Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and sharing his thoughts. Ranbir too gave me feedback on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. We talk about films, personal lives—there’s genuine camaraderie.”
Karan also famously wanted to remake the 1964 Raj Kapoor classic ‘Sangam’ with Deepika Padukone, Ranbir, and Ranveer. On Koffee With Karan Season 8, Ranveer reminded Karan of this, to which the filmmaker replied, “I am dying to make it.”
