'No one won or lost': FWICE lifts ban on Ranveer Singh over quitting Farhan Akhtar's 'Don 3'

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) on Wednesday withdrew the non-cooperative directive (NCD) issued against Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh over his exit from Farhan Akhtar's Don 3. Speaking to reporters, FWICE president BN Tiwari said that an appropriate decision where neither the producers and directors nor the actors face any issues.

Tiwari was quoted as saying by PTI, “We are taking back our non cooperative directive from immediate effect after a request by IMPAA, the producers' guild and CINTAA. We have been told that we should all sit together with the producers' body and take an appropriate decision where neither the producers and directors nor the actor face any issues.”

"No one has won or lost in this matter. Our legal department will respond to his legal notice," he added.

Previously, the actor served a legal notice against the film workers’ body, days after it issued a non-cooperation directive linked to his exit from Don 3. The development has transformed what began as a casting controversy into a broader debate on contractual commitment.

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FWICE's chief advisor, Ashoke Pandit, told India Today that after the celebrity issued a legal notice, the federation decided to conduct another press conference, which is scheduled for later today in Mumbai. The specifics of the notice haven't yet been made public. At today's media event, FWICE is likely to discuss the specifics of the notice and the current legal standoff.  

The controversy traces its origins to reports that Singh withdrew from Don 3, a project by Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani under Excel Entertainment. According to FWICE, the producers informed the organisation that nearly ₹45 crore had already been spent on pre-production and related activities. The body argued that the actor’s alleged withdrawal could expose producers to substantial financial losses and disrupt production schedules. 

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In response, FWICE issued a non-cooperation directive urging its affiliated members across various film departments not to work on projects involving Singh. While critics described the move as a ban, FWICE maintained that it was merely a call for non-cooperation intended to protect producer interests. 

The legal battle has also drawn support from sections of the producer community. Veteran producer TP Aggarwal has approached a Mumbai civil court challenging FWICE’s action, arguing that no trade body has the legal authority to impose bans or direct members for non-cooperation.