Ranveer Singh Hits Back With Legal Notice As FWICE Faces Heat Over Non-Cooperation Directive Row - BIG UPDATE

Ranveer Singh’s dispute with the Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees moved to court after a legal notice. The actor challenged FWICE’s recent non-cooperation directive, which had urged members to avoid projects featuring Ranveer following the controversy over Farhan Akhtar’s film Don 3 and Ranveer’s reported withdrawal from the project.

According to an HT report, the notice, sent on Tuesday, asked FWICE to answer in court, though the exact demands remained unclear. The step followed a week of tensions between Ranveer and the film workers’ body. FWICE’s directive had triggered debate inside the Hindi film industry over how far such organisations could go in disputes with actors.

Ranveer Singh, FWICE and Don 3 dispute reaches legal stage

FWICE, based in Mumbai, had earlier instructed all its members not to work on any film starring Ranveer Singh. The organisation said this decision came after Farhan Akhtar approached FWICE. Farhan alleged that Ranveer exited Don 3 just days before filming was planned to start, after significant preparation and spending.

In a notice dated May 25, FWICE detailed the concerns raised by the Don 3 producers. The body wrote, "Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani informed FWICE that they have already incurred approximately ₹45 crores towards the pre-production of the film. He expressed grave concern that the sudden withdrawal of such a leading actor from the project at an advanced stage could expose the producer to severe financial losses and adversely affect the overall execution of the film."

Ranveer Singh, FWICE directive and Don 3 producers’ complaint

That same day, FWICE President Ashoke Pandit addressed a press conference about the move. Pandit said the organisation had sent several communications to Ranveer but received no reply. According to Pandit, this silence prompted FWICE to ask its members to stay away from any project fronted by the actor, across all departments.

Pandit also said, "None of our workers or members, across all crafts, will work on any of his projects. We have requested that all producers take a stand, join us in solidarity, speak out against this conduct, and make a firm decision." Later in the week, Pandit clarified that FWICE viewed its directive as non-cooperation, not a formal 'ban’.

From a legal angle, FWICE’s powers had already been examined by the Competition Commission of India in 2017. The CCI was ruling on a complaint by producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah. At that time, FWICE required producers to hire only its members, a rule that came under scrutiny under competition law.

The CCI held that FWICE’s condition breached the Competition Act, 2002, which disallows anti-competitive agreements. The commission also said FWICE could not impose penalties to enforce such hiring clauses. Following these findings, the CCI issued a cease-and-desist order, signalling clear limits on FWICE’s authority within the film sector.

Ranveer Singh’s camp reacted publicly soon after FWICE circulated its May 25 directive. The actor’s official spokesperson released a detailed statement. It read, "Ranveer Singh holds the highest regard for the film fraternity and for everyone associated with the Don franchise. Throughout the recent developments surrounding Don 3, he has consciously chosen to maintain silence, believing that professional discussions and personal equations are best handled with dignity, maturity and mutual respect."

The statement continued, "While several narratives and speculations have surfaced over time, Ranveer has never considered it necessary to respond publicly or contribute to conjecture. His focus remains firmly on his work and the commitments ahead." Ranveer personally stayed away from public comment, even as the legal notice went out and industry reactions grew.

Don 3 had been announced in 2023 by Farhan Akhtar’s banner Excel Entertainment, with Ranveer Singh presented as the new lead. A teaser on YouTube and social media introduced Ranveer in the role earlier played by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. The film later got delayed and, according to the notice, did not enter pre-production until late 2025.

The court process between Ranveer and FWICE will now test the reach of industry bodies in such disputes, while Don 3’s producers deal with the fallout from the actor’s exit. For the Hindi film industry, the case highlighted long-running questions around contracts, worker bodies and star agreements on major projects.