‘Don 3’ Controversy: FWICE Hits Back at Sanjay Gupta Over Comment on Ranveer Singh Ban Row, Reminds Him of ‘Mumbai Saga’ Dispute
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has fired back at filmmaker Sanjay Gupta for criticizing their disciplinary action against actor Ranveer Singh, reminding Gupta of a past production crisis on his film 'Mumbai Saga' where the union intervened to help him.
The ongoing dispute surrounding Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh's exit from the film Don 3 has intensified, with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) firing back at filmmaker Sanjay Gupta for criticising their disciplinary actions. The industry body responded to Gupta by bringing up a past production crisis on his own film, Mumbai Saga, where he allegedly benefited from the federation's intervention. Ranveer Singh 'Don 3' Row: Sanjay Gupta Questions FWICE Ban, Says Industry Workers Will Suffer From Actor’s Ban.
FWICE Slams Sanjay Gupta Over ‘Don 3’ Row
The row escalated after Gupta publicly questioned FWICE’s recent actions against Singh on social media, asking, "What sense does it make?" to ban an A-list star. Gupta argued that such a move hurts the film's daily wage workers by destroying their livelihoods rather than affecting the actor. Responding to the criticism, FWICE General Secretary Ashok Dubey reminded the director of an incident during the shooting of Gupta's film Mumbai Saga, when senior actor Jackie Shroff reportedly walked out of the project.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Dubey stated that the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) and FWICE had stepped in together to resolve that crisis for Gupta. "I want to ask Sanjay Gupta ji that when a few years back his film Mumbai Saga was being shot and Jackie Shroff refused to come, this very IFTDA and federation came together and solved the problem. Where was this objection then?" Dubey said in a statement.
Non-Cooperation Directive, Not an Outright Ban on Ranveer Singh
FWICE also moved to clarify the exact nature of the disciplinary action taken against Singh, stating that the media had mischaracterised it as an absolute ban. Dubey explained that the body has issued a Non-Cooperation Declaration (NCD), which functions as an internal decision guiding federation members. "If this trend [of sudden exits] continues, many filmmakers and producers will suffer heavy losses. We have not banned anyone; we have declared non-cooperation.
This is a decision by the federation members and is an internal film body matter," Dubey added. The NCD was implemented after Don 3 filmmaker Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment approached the union, alleging that Singh’s abrupt departure from the project just days before the scheduled shoot caused pre-production losses amounting to INR 45 crore.
FWICE claimed Singh failed to respond to three consecutive notices before stating that the federation was not the appropriate forum for contractual disputes.
Silence from Farhan Akhtar
Amid the mounting industry friction, both Singh and Akhtar have largely maintained their silence regarding the exact reasons behind the fallout. Singh's team previously released a statement emphasising his high regard for the film fraternity and stating that he chose to remain silent to handle professional discussions with dignity and mutual respect. Manoj Bajpayee Reacts to Ranveer Singh-Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Don 3’ Controversy, Says ‘Hope the Matter Is Sorted Out Soon’ (Watch Video).
Singh was recently spotted at the Mumbai airport keeping a low profile and was later seen visiting the Chamundeshwari Temple in Karnataka for prayers, steering clear of media interactions. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the Producers Guild of India is currently trying to mediate the financial dispute between Excel Entertainment and the actor.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2026 04:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
