The Hindi film industry was stunned on Monday as the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a non-cooperation directive against actor Ranveer Singh, asking their members to boycott his projects, effectively banning him from Bollywood. The move came amid Ranveer’s ongoing feud with actor-producer Farhan Akhtar over their film, Don 3.
Ashoke Pandit explains Ranveer’s ‘ban’
Later on Monday evening, FWICE President Ashoke Pandit held a press conference to explain the rationale behind the move. He said that FWICE acted after Farhan filed a complaint alleging Ranveer walked out of the film days before the shoot was to begin, and that Ranveer ignored their notices.
“As soon as the complaint reached us, we formally registered it. Subsequently, we issued three notices to Ranveer Singh: one every 10 days, inviting him to engage with us, and three reminders. However, we received absolutely no response. Since we received no response, we collectively decided to convene a press conference to apprise the industry of the decision our Federation has taken. The moment we announced the press conference, we received an email from Mr Singh stating that this matter did not fall within our jurisdiction and that we had no authority to interfere in it. We took note of his stance and decided to proceed accordingly,” Ashoke Pandit said.
After FWICE announced its directive to boycott Ranveer, Ashoke Pandit urged other producers in India to support the move. “None of our workers or members, across all crafts, will work on any of his projects. We have requested that all producers take a stand, join us in solidarity, speak out against this conduct, and make a firm decision. We believe that this is a negative trend, a precedent that must not be allowed to take root,” he added.
What is the Don 3 issue?
Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment announced Don 3 in August 2023. The teaser showed Ranveer Singh taking on the role immortalised by Amitabh Bachchan and later Shah Rukh Khan. However, in April 2026, Farhan approached the FWICE claiming Ranveer exited the project days before the shoot, causing massive monetary losses
“Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani informed FWICE that they have already incurred approximately ₹45 crores towards the pre-production of the film. He expressed grave concern that the sudden withdrawal of such a leading actor from the project at an advanced stage could expose the producer to severe financial losses and adversely affect the overall execution of the film,” FWICE’s letter read.
Ranveer Singh responds
On Monday evening, a spokesperson of Ranveer Singh issued a statement on the actor’s behalf after FWICE’s ban. “Ranveer Singh holds the highest regard for the film fraternity and for everyone associated with the Don franchise. Throughout the recent developments surrounding Don 3, he has consciously chosen to maintain silence, believing that professional discussions and personal equations are best handled with dignity, maturity and mutual respect. While several narratives and speculations have surfaced over time, Ranveer has never considered it necessary to respond publicly or contribute to conjecture. His focus remains firmly on his work and the commitments ahead,” the statement read.