‘Don 3’ Row: CINTAA President Poonam Dhillon Questions Ranveer Singh for Not Seeking Film Body’s Help in Farhan Akhtar Dispute
Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) President Poonam Dhillon has expressed deep disappointment after being left entirely in the dark regarding the escalating fallout from actor Ranveer Singh's exit from the film 'Don 3'. She expressed disappointment that neither Ranveer nor the producers of the film, approached them to solve the matter.
The ongoing dispute surrounding actor Ranveer Singh’s abrupt exit from the film Don 3 has intensified, with the Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) expressing deep disappointment over being bypassed during the escalation. CINTAA President Poonam Dhillon stated that neither the actor, the producers, nor the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) consulted the artists' body before a major non-cooperation directive was issued against Singh. ‘Don 3’ Row: Ranveer Singh Offered Farhan Akhtar INR 10 Crore and an INR 25 Crore Discount on His Next Excel Entertainment Film – Report.
The controversy follows allegations by Excel Entertainment that Singh's last-minute withdrawal from the Farhan Akhtar-directed project caused pre-production losses totalling nearly INR 45 crore.
Poonam Dhillon Slams Ranveer Singh
Speaking to Variety India, Dhillon described the situation as highly unusual, particularly given that Singh is a registered member of the association she leads. She criticised the actor's decision to bypass CINTAA, noting that the body is specifically designed to mediate such professional friction before it impacts a performer's career.
"It's a very strange situation to be in because it's one of our members, but neither the artist nor the producer or the Federation informed us or took us into their confidence," Dhillon said. "We could have tried to resolve the issue. That is what our association is there for to resolve such disputes or any problems that arise between an actor and a producer."
Dhillon emphasised that Singh should have proactively utilised the association's resources to reach an amicable settlement with Excel Entertainment rather than allowing the matter to culminate in trade union action. "Ranveer, being a part of CINTAA, could have involved us and approached us so we could have tried to resolve the issue in a more amicable way," Dhillon added. "I would like every actor to honour their commitments in the best possible way. If there are any issues, they should handle them and, if needed, approach the association so we can resolve them together."
Despite her frustration over the lack of communication, Dhillon clarified that CINTAA is currently operating in an information vacuum and refused to assign blame to either side. "The fact is we don't really know much, so I cannot say whether he is wrong or they are wrong. I simply don't know," she concluded.
The ‘Don 3’ Controversy
The friction stems from Singh's sudden departure from Don 3 in December, reportedly just three weeks before principal photography was scheduled to begin. Producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani subsequently filed a complaint seeking financial damages, citing heavy expenditures already incurred on overseas travel, location scouting, and hotel bookings. Will Ranveer Singh’s ‘Don 3’ Row Affect His Upcoming Film ‘Pralay’? Here’s What We Know.
The situation peaked on Monday when FWICE issued a "non-cooperation directive" against Singh. The trade federation stated the measure was taken after the actor failed to respond to three formal notices to appear before the body for joint discussions. While FWICE advisors have since clarified that the directive is a trade union call rather than a legally enforceable ban, it requests that members across 30 distinct industry crafts refrain from working with the actor until the financial dispute is settled.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2026 04:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
