‘Ranveer Singh Not Banned’: FWICE’s Ashoke Pandit Clarifies Non-Cooperation Action After Actor’s ‘Don 3’ Exit

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has clarified that it has not banned actor Ranveer Singh following his sudden exit from Farhan Akhtar’s upcoming film Don 3. FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit stated that the film body has instead issued a "non-cooperation" directive, which requests its members to refrain from working with the actor until the ongoing dispute is amicably resolved.  The clarification comes amid widespread speculation and media reports indicating that the superstar had been banned from the industry. Ranveer Singh’s Team Breaks Silence After FWICE Ban Over ‘Don 3’ Exit, Says ‘He Has Consciously Chosen To Maintain Silence’.

Ashoke Pandit Says Ranveer Singh is Not Banned

Speaking about the disciplinary action, Ashoke Pandit emphasised that the trade union does not possess the legal authority to ban individuals.  "See, first of all, the entire conversation has become wrong. It's not a ban. See, we are not a court; we can't ban people, yaar. So we have issued a non-cooperation," Pandit told ETimes.

He explained that the non-cooperation directive applies to all FWICE members across 30 different filmmaking crafts. Under this trade union call, members are advised not to work with Singh on any project in any capacity until the matter is settled. Pandit noted that while the federation has issued the directive to protect industry standards, participation ultimately remains a choice for individual members.

Adoke Pandit on Financial Implications and ‘Dangerous’ Trends

The dispute arose after Excel Entertainment, spearheaded by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, filed a complaint against Singh in April. According to FWICE, Singh abruptly withdrew from Don 3 just three weeks before the production unit was scheduled to leave for an overseas shoot.

The producers claim the actor's sudden departure has resulted in audited pre-production losses amounting to INR 45 crore, which includes expenses for location scouting, hotel bookings, and travel arrangements for over 200 workers.  Pandit defended the federation's firm stance, calling sudden exits a "very dangerous trend" that threatens the financial stability of film producers.  "We very strongly feel that this is a very wrong trend which will start," Pandit said.

He argued that while major studios like Excel Entertainment might survive such setbacks, smaller production houses could face ruin. "They will commit suicide," he added, highlighting the scale of financial risk involved.

Jurisdictional Dispute and Attempts at Mediation

According to FWICE officials, the federation made three separate attempts to resolve the matter behind closed doors by inviting Singh to sit down with the producers. However, the actor reportedly did not respond to the invitations for nearly a month.  Pandit revealed that Singh eventually sent an email to the federation just as they were preparing to hold a press conference. In the email, the actor stated that the matter did not fall under the jurisdiction of the FWICE.

"So with that said, fine, if you feel so strongly... Doesn't matter. So that is a basic thing, we will wait. We'll sit with the producer body. Will sit with different associations, and we'll see how things happen," Pandit remarked regarding Singh's response. Amid ‘Don 3’ Dispute With Ranveer Singh, Farhan Akhtar in Talks To Play Pakistani Cricketer in Aamir Khan’s Lala Amarnath Biopic – Report.

The Path to Resolution

Despite the escalating standoff, FWICE maintains that the door remains open for negotiations and a potential compromise regarding the INR 45 crore compensation demanded by Excel Entertainment. Pandit suggested that the final amount could be negotiated if all parties came to the table. "If you say it's not 45 (crore), we say 30 (crore) or whatever," he stated, emphasising the need for legal and professional closure.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2026 10:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).