After Legal Notice From Ranveer Singh, FWICE Withdraws Non-Cooperation Directive

Ranveer Singh was facing a non-cooperation directive, often referred to as a “shadow ban”, after Farhan Akhtar alleged that his exit from Don 3 led to losses of approximately Rs 45 crore.

FWICE has dropped non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh.

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The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) on Wednesday withdrew the non-cooperation directive issued against Ranveer Singh following his exit from Farhan Akhtar's Don 3 at the last minute. The decision came after the actor reportedly served a legal notice to the film workers' body on Tuesday.

FWICE Drops Non-Cooperation Directive Against Ranveer

FWICE president BN Tiwari said the directive was revoked after discussions involving the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPAA), the Producers Guild of India, and the Cine & TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA). "We have decided to withdraw the non-cooperation directive with immediate effect following requests from IMPAA, the Producers Guild and CINTAA," Tiwari told reporters.

He added that the industry bodies had advised all stakeholders to come together and find a solution that safeguards the interests of both producers and actors.

"We have been advised to sit together with the producers' associations and arrive at a mutually acceptable resolution so that neither the filmmakers nor the actor faces any difficulties," he said.

Ranveer, Farhan’s Don 3 Dispute

It all started when Ranveer Singh exited Don 3 just weeks before the film was scheduled to go on floors, leading to losses of nearly Rs 45 crore for the producers. The film was announced in 2023. 

In April this year, filmmaker Farhan Akhtar reportedly approached FWICE over the issue. The trade body subsequently sent three notices to Ranveer Singh. When no resolution was reached, FWICE imposed a non-cooperation directive, effectively asking its members across various crafts not to work on the actor's projects until the matter was resolved.

“Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani informed FWICE that they have already incurred approximately Rs 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 said in its notice dated May 25.

The notice further stated, “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.”

Following the directive, described as a “shadow ban” within industry circles, Ranveer Singh released a statement maintaining that he would not comment extensively on the matter and wished the best for the Don franchise.

“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.

Singer Mika Singh reportedly offered to mediate, and Salman Khan is said to have encouraged both sides to resolve the issue amicably.

ABP Live had also reported earlier that Ranveer Singh allegedly proposed working on another project with Farhan Akhtar and even approached Zoya Akhtar with a similar offer. However, a source familiar with the matter claimed that the Akhtar family is no longer interested in working with the actor again.

Tiwari also clarified that the development should not be viewed as a victory or defeat for either side. "No one has won or lost in this matter. Our legal team will respond to the notice sent by Ranveer Singh," he added.