FWICE Drops Non-Cooperation Directive Against Ranveer Singh After His Legal Notice
FWICE has withdrawn its non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh following legal intervention, bringing an end to the escalating ‘Don 3’ dispute.
The high-stakes standoff between Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has come to an end. On Wednesday, the film workers' body officially withdrew its controversial non-cooperation directive against the actor. The sudden reversal arrived just a day after the actor served the organisation with a strict legal notice challenging the ban. The dispute initially ignited following Ranveer’s last-minute exit from director Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani's highly anticipated project, ‘Don 3’.
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The actor departed the franchise following the release of his film ‘Dhurandhar’ back in December. The abrupt exit left the ‘Don 3’ makers reeling, as they claimed to have already sunk a massive Rs 45 crore into the movie's advanced pre-production stages.
Consequently, the producers filed a formal complaint with the Indian Film and Television Directors' Association, which then escalated the grievance directly to FWICE. On May 25, the federation issued a stringent non-cooperation directive, urging its vast network of members across all cinematic crafts to cease working on any of the actor's projects.
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However, the situation took a sharp turn this week. At a press conference held in Mumbai on Wednesday, FWICE President BN Tiwari and FWICE Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit announced that the body had dropped the directive on the "request of CINTAA and IMPAA". CINTAA stands for Cine & TV Artistes' Association, whereas IMPAA represents the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association. The swift withdrawal was heavily brokered through interventions by these bodies, alongside the Producers Guild of India.
Ashoke Pandit also addressed the media at the event, confirming the receipt of the actor's legal pushback. "The legal letter came to us yesterday and it was requesting us to remove the non-cooperation directive," he stated. Conceding the limitations of the federation's power, he added, "We appeal to Ranveer to come and sit with us and find a solution. We celebrate his stardom... We don't have any authority to ban anyone. We are hopeful that there will be a positive reaction from Ranveer."
Indeed, FWICE's initial ban rested on highly shaky legal ground. A 2017 ruling by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) clearly dictated that FWICE does not possess the authority to ban film fraternity members or penalize producers for working with non-members, as such mandates directly violate the Competition Act of 2002.
Taking the legal fight a step further, veteran film producer and former IMPPA president TP Aggarwal actively challenged the federation's overreach. Aggarwal filed a petition before the Bombay Civil Court in Dindoshi against both FWICE and IMPPA, firmly arguing that no individual, trade body, or organization has the legal right to impose a ban or order others to refuse to work with someone. Ashoke Pandit confirmed during the press conference that the FWICE legal team will reply to TP Aggarwal's petition.
The clash naturally drew massive attention from the film fraternity. Several prominent industry figures, including Kangana Ranaut, Ram Gopal Varma, Padmini Kolhapure, Poonam Dhillon, Nikhil Dwivedi, and Sanjay Gupta, publicly weighed in on the FWICE's initial action against the star.
Throughout the public ordeal, Ranveer Singh's camp maintained a remarkably composed stance. His spokesperson previously released a statement emphasizing his "deep respect and goodwill" for the franchise and the film industry. Opting to avoid the media crossfire, the team noted that Ranveer chose a "dignified silence" over feeding public conjecture, firmly believing the complex matter should be handled with "maturity."
Ultimately, the resolution ensures that current and future film shoots remain unaffected. BN Tiwari cemented the withdrawal by stating, "No one has won or lost in this matter. Our legal department will respond to his legal notice." He clarified that the decision was finalized so that producers, directors, and actors would not face disruptive production issues moving forward.
