'Ranveer Singh is not banned': FWICE chief advisor clarifies 'non-cooperation' action amid Don 3 row

A row over Ranveer Singh’s exit from Don 3 has escalated into an industry-wide flashpoint, after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued what it called a 'non-cooperation' directive against the actor, a move widely reported as a ban, before the body itself stepped in to clarify its stance.

FWICE’s chief advisor Ashoke Pandit on Tuesday pushed back against the narrative, stressing that the organisation has no authority to ban anyone. Speaking to ETimes, he said, “See, first of all, the entire conversation has become wrong. It’s not a ban. See, we are not a court; we can’t ban people, yaar. So we have issued a non-cooperation.”

He explained that the directive means members across FWICE’s 30 affiliated crafts would refrain from working with Ranveer Singh. “All FWICE members, who belong to 30 crafts, will not work with Ranveer Singh,” he said, while adding that the final decision still rests with individual members.

According to Pandit, the move is structured as a trade union call rather than a legal restriction, and participation remains voluntary at the member level. He reiterated that FWICE has only issued a directive, not an enforceable ban.

However, Pandit also warned that the matter reflects a deeper concern within the industry. He said the issue remains unresolved and could set a “wrong precedent” if similar situations continue to arise.

He further argued that abrupt exits from projects can have serious financial repercussions for producers. Pointing to the scale of investment in large productions, he said not every banner has the financial cushion of studios like Excel Entertainment.

Despite the standoff, Pandit said there is still room for resolution. He noted that discussions involving the actor, producers, and the federation could help settle outstanding issues, including the reported Rs 45 crore damages being sought by Don 3 producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. “If you say it’s not 45 (crore), we say 30 (crore) or whatever,” he said, indicating scope for negotiation.

Earlier, addressing the media in Mumbai, Pandit outlined the sequence of events leading to the dispute. “On 11th April, Farhan filed a complaint. Three weeks before the unit was to leave for shoot, Ranveer left the movie. They narrated the full incident for two hours. They also presented all the expenses incurred on pre-production, which are accounted for and audited. These include hotel bookings, location bookings, and overseas travel bookings for over 200 workers. Everything is on paper.”

He added that Ranveer Singh had been involved throughout the film’s early development. “Ranveer had signed a contract with Excel Entertainment for three films. The entire recce was in his presence. The inputs for script were made in his presence. A promo was shot with him to announce the film.”

While Ranveer Singh has personally stayed silent on the matter, his team released a statement, saying that the actor believes such disputes should be handled with “dignity, maturity, and mutual respect.”

The statement emphasised that he holds the 'highest' regard for the film fraternity, and 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.”

The controversy began after Singh exited Don 3 following months of pre-production work and the release of a promotional promo featuring the actor. FWICE later invited both parties for discussions, but while Farhan Akhtar and his producing partner Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment attended the meeting, Ranveer Singh reportedly did not appear despite receiving multiple invitations.