Ranveer Singh Vs FWICE: How Farhan Akhtar's Don 3 Fallout And Rs 45 Crore Loss Triggered Bollywood Ban On Dhurandhar Actor

In 2023, movie buffs were beaming with joy when Farhan Akhtar introduced Ranveer Singh as a new Don in Don 3. The actor was supposed to carry the legacy of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, and the promo just added fuel to the fire, leaving the fans excited. However, a year went by without any significant updates, despite fans continuously inquiring about the project. Fast forward to 2025, after the success of Dhurandhar, reports emerged that Ranveer had exited Don 3, leaving fans bewildered. According to these reports, the departure stemmed from creative disagreements between the actor and Excel Entertainment, resulting in a fallout. Cut to mid-2026, Ranveer stands banned by the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) until he decides to approach them personally on the matter. This ban coincides with the peak of his career, following the massive success of Dhurandhar: The Revenge. If this ban continues for an extended period, it could impact his upcoming projects.

Why Ranveer Singh walked out of Don 3?

Don is one of the hit franchises, and everyone would die to play the role of Don. However, Ranveer made a tough choice and walked away from the project. The actor never directly addressed the matter, but rumours were rife that he was unhappy with the delays and lack of a finalised script. Another report claimed that Ranveer learned that Farhan Akhtar was exploring alternative casting options while he was still signed as a lead actor.

This was all alleged during a meeting between Ranveer and Excel Entertainment under the aegis of the Producers Guild of India (GUILD).

“Ranveer blamed Excel Entertainment for unprofessionalism and not being serious about taking Don 3 on floors. He stated that Farhan Akhtar never had a bound script in place and that, as an actor, he prefers to work only with fully developed material," a source present at the meeting informed Bollywood Hungama.

Farhan Akhtar files a complaint against Ranveer Singh with the IFTDA

After several meetings with GUILD, Farhan approached the film body on April 11, 2026, following which the matter was officially referred to FWICE for further course of action and appropriate intervention. In accordance with the principles of fairness, transparency and natural justice, FWICE convened meetings to hear the matter from all concerned parties. During the proceedings, Farhan and Ritesh Sidhwani informed FWICE that they had already incurred approximately ₹45 crore in pre-production of the film. Farhan 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 his film.

Excel Entertainment narrated their ordeal to the federation for nearly two hours and even presented detailed accounts of all the expenses incurred during pre-production. According to the production house, Ranveer signed a three-film contract with them.

"They (Farhan and Riteish) also presented detailed accounts of all expenses incurred during pre-production, including hotel bookings, location recce expenses, overseas travel bookings for more than 200 workers and other arrangements. Everything was documented and audited. The entire recce happened in his (Ranveer) presence. Script discussions and inputs happened with him involved. A promo announcing the film was also shot with him,” FWICE Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit shared.

Why is Ranveer Singh banned by FWICE?

Ranveer's controversial exit from Don 3 took a shocking turn after Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a non-cooperation directive against the actor. During a recent press meet, Ashoke Pandit explained the reason behind this decision. Revealing the details of the complaint filed by Farhan, he shared that the producer alleged that Ranveer withdrew from the project just three weeks before the film's unit was scheduled to leave for the shoot, resulting in significant financial losses for the production house. For the unversed, Don 3 was supposed to go on the floors this year.

Following the complaint, the film body issued three notices to Ranveer. The film body used to send a notice every ten days, inviting the actor to engage with them, and also sent three reminders. However, the actor didn't respond, owing to which FWICE decided to convene a press conference to apprise the industry of the decision taken by our Federation.

The moment FWICE announced the press conference, they received an email from Ranveer stating that this matter does not fall within their jurisdiction and that they have no authority to interfere in it. On being pointed out, the film body took note of his stance and decided to proceed accordingly.

Consequently, the association decided to issue a 'Non-Cooperation' directive against Ranveer Singh. "This implies that none of our workers or members, across all crafts, will work on any of his projects...We have requested all producers to take a stand, to join us in solidarity, to speak out against this conduct, and to take a firm decision. We believe that this is a negative trend, a precedent that must not be allowed to take root..," Ashoke Pandit said during the press meet. He stated that a superstar is not bigger than the law, and until Ranveer decides to meet them personally, none of the workers across India, including technicians, spot boys, vanity van suppliers and other affiliated staff, will work with him.

FWICE has over 5000 active members and 36 affiliated unions, and the non-cooperation directive could impact Ranveer's upcoming movies and advertisements.

Ranveer Singh chose to maintain silence

Despite being banned by the film body, Ranveer Singh decided to remain silent on the matter. His spokesperson issued a statement to address the ban imposed by FWICE and said that the actor holds "deep respect" for the film fraternity and wishes to remain "silent".

In a note shared by the actor's spokesperson, "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."

"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," it continued.

The spokesperson added that the actor has chosen to practice "restraint" in the Don 3 controversy. "He continues to hold deep respect and goodwill for all those involved and sincerely wishes the franchise continued success. Choosing restraint and grace in moments like these has always been a conscious decision on his part, and he will continue to maintain the same stance," read the statement shared by the actor's spokesperson.

Ranveer Singh wins netizens' support amid ban

What came almost naturally amid the very public fallout between Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar was the unanimous support for the actor. After being doubtful over his casting in Don 3 three years ago, fans of the actor seem to have taken a 180-degree turn with regard to him. Social media welcomed Ranveer as soon as the notification of FWICE went public. Netizens are abuzz with support for the actor and have accused Farhan of targeting him. Some have even alleged a ‘nepo lobby’ is at work and attacking Singh only because he is an ‘outsider’.

The change in public perception towards Ranveer Singh is not gradual. The sudden shift took place following the success of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar franchise. Following the release of the duology, the actor has established himself not only as a bankable star but also as a people's favourite. In 3 years, Ranveer Singh has managed a complete change of heart on social media.  

How does the FWICE ban threaten Ranveer Singh’s upcoming project?

Ranveer is working on his next big-budget film, Pralay, helmed by Jai Mehta. The film is expected to be made on a reported budget of ₹300 crore. While the film is still in the pre-production stage, it is assumed that the film will either be shelved or delayed, as most of the crew is associated with FWICE and with Ranveer being banned, it would be hard for them to find the crew in India.

Ranveer Singh makes a swanky appearance at Mumbai airport

Following the ban, Ranveer was snapped at Mumbai airport on Tuesday morning, looking dashing in a white kurta-pyjama paired with a Nehru jacket. He completed his appearance with a face mask and sunglasses as he made his way into the airport amid tight security. The spotting came just hours after FWICE issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer in the Don 3 matter, claiming he failed to respond to repeated requests to appear before the body and discuss the issue, despite being sent three reminders. This appearance hints that the actor is unfazed by FWICE's strict action.