The Federation of Western India Cine Employees, or FWICE, made headlines this Monday after it issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh. The actor had agreed to star in Farhan Akhtar's Don 3 but reportedly backed out just three weeks before the crew was to fly out for a foreign schedule. What followed was a formal complaint, three unanswered reminders, and eventually, a ban. But scroll back a few years and you will find that FWICE has been here before.
Federation's History Of Taking Stand
FWICE has over five lakh members, including technicians, daily wage workers, and suppliers, which makes its non-cooperation directives a serious business for anyone working in the Hindi film industry. The body has invoked this power before, most notably during periods of political tension between India and Pakistan.
After the Uri attacks in 2016, and again after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir last year, FWICE drew a firm line. Pakistani artists, including actors like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan were banned from working in Indian productions. The federation also put out a call to all Indian artists and technicians to stop collaborating with Pakistani artistes.
Singer Mika Singh became one of the earliest Indian artists to face the federation's heat. In 2019, he performed at a wedding in Karachi, which was already a sensitive move given the political climate at the time. The situation got more complicated when it emerged that the wedding was connected to a close associate of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Mika, however, sat down with the federation's officials, offered an apology, and explained that his presence at the event was unintentional. That was enough for FWICE to lift the ban.
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Diljit Dosanjh Got Lifeline, But With Conditions
Diljit Dosanjh's situation last year was a little more layered. The actor-singer featured opposite Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in Sardaar Ji 3, a Punjabi comedy directed by Amar Hundal. The film did not release in India but played in international markets, and Diljit was out in cities like London promoting it.
FWICE was not pleased. A non-cooperation directive went out against him, and the federation took the additional step of writing directly to T-Series, asking the production house to remove Diljit from Border 2, Anurag Singh's period war drama that had already begun shooting.
What saved Diljit's spot on that film was a personal plea from T-Series head Bhushan Kumar to the federation. FWICE made an exception for Border 2 but was clear through Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit that the directive against Diljit would otherwise stay. Even so, the actor has since wrapped a shoot for Imtiaz Ali's Main Vaapas Aaunga, a period romance that is scheduled to hit cinemas on June 12.
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What Makes Ranveer's Case Stand Apart
Unlike the bans on Pakistani artists or the actions against Diljit and Mika, Ranveer Singh's situation has no political angle to it. This is purely a professional dispute.
Excel Entertainment, the production house run by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, filed a complaint with FWICE after Ranveer exited Don 3. The producers say the actor had committed to the film, and by the time he walked out, three weeks were left before the crew was set to leave for the foreign schedule. They have submitted documentation of all the money spent during pre-production and are now seeking damages of Rs 45 crore.
FWICE gave Ranveer three chances over 30 days to come forward and explain himself. He did not appear before the body, and that sealed the decision.
The timing makes this particularly tricky for the actor. His next project, Pralay, which is part of the Dhurandhar franchise, is expected to start shooting in August. With a non-cooperation directive in place, putting a crew together could become a challenge. His promotional schedules in the near future could also take a hit.