FWICE issued a Non-Cooperation Directive against Ranveer Singh after Farhan Akhtar raised concerns over his exit from ‘Don 3’, while the actor’s team called the dispute contractual and said the matter should not be handled through the federation.
ranveer singh fwice
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) announced a Non-Cooperation Directive (NCD) against actor Ranveer Singh after Farhan Akhtar raised a formal grievance following Singh’s exit from ‘Don 3’. The directive means no FWICE member can work with Ranveer Singh until the dispute reaches its resolution.
Following the announcement, Ranveer Singh’s official spokesperson issued a statement clarifying the actor’s stance on the matter.
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The actor’s spokesperson said Ranveer holds the film fraternity and everyone associated with the ‘Don’ franchise in the highest regard. Throughout the developments surrounding ‘Don 3’, the actor chose to maintain silence, believing that professional discussions and personal equations are best handled with dignity, maturity, and mutual respect. The statement added that while several narratives and speculations surfaced over time, Ranveer never considered it necessary to respond publicly or contribute to conjecture.
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Ranveer also stated that FWICE was not the appropriate forum for the complainants to raise their grievances, and that the issues raised were contractual in nature requiring a different avenue for adjudication.
Ranveer Singh was announced as the new lead for the third instalment of the ‘Don’ franchise in 2023. After months of silence and speculation, reports confirmed that he had exited the project. Reports indicated creative disagreements and dissatisfaction with production delay made him exit.
Ranveer’s side maintained that the film never reached stage of creative readiness. According to his camp, there was no locked script even after years of development and multiple story elements remained unresolved. He allegedly felt the project lacked scale and narrative strength promised to him when he signed.
The actor was reportedly unhappy with absence of bound script, unresolved storylines, concerns over project management. He also did not receive an advance and was not compensated for time lost on other shelved projects.
Excel Entertainment disputed this version. Farhan Akhtar reportedly said that the script was developed and shared in stages, and that Ranveer had approved each draft without objection.
FWICE Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit stated that Ranveer left the film three weeks before the unit was ready to leave for the shoot.
Farhan Akhtar and his producing partner Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment presented their case at the FWICE office, with Ritesh appearing in person and Farhan joining remotely from London over Zoom. The session lasted two hours. The producers presented all expenses incurred on pre-production, described as accounted for and audited. These included hotel bookings, location bookings, overseas travel bookings for over 200 workers.
Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani informed FWICE that they had already incurred approximately Rs 45 crore towards pre-production of the film. Farhan Akhtar formally filed the complaint before Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) on April 11, 2026.
FWICE strongly criticised actors leaving films close to production schedules, calling it harmful for the industry. In its official statement, the federation said the entertainment industry works like one extended family where producers, actors, technicians, and workers depend on mutual trust and professional commitments. The body added that sudden exits by senior actors at crucial stages can disrupt the industry’s working system and create financial instability for producers and technicians.
FWICE stated that it remains open to meeting with Ranveer Singh to hear his side and to take the issue forward towards arriving at an amicable and final resolution in the interest of both parties.
One of the flashpoints in the dispute is the allegation that Excel Entertainment explored other casting options. This included Hrithik Roshan, before returning to Ranveer following the success of ‘Dhurandhar’. Ranveer’s side views this as a sign of uncertainty and lack of commitment. Excel has not publicly acknowledged this claim.
Aamir Khan denied any involvement in the Ranveer-Farhan Akhtar dispute after rumours circulated linking him to the situation.
The Non-Cooperation Directive remains in place unless Ranveer Singh engages with the process or the two sides reach a settlement. No new casting or production timeline for ‘Don 3’ has been announced.
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