Ranveer Singh scores first win in Don 3 row as film body withdraws 'ban'
The Federation of Western Cine Employees lifted the non-cooperation directive issued against actor Ranveer Singh following his abrupt exit from Don 3. The film body further said they would fight Singh's legal notice in court.
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) on Wednesday withdrew the non-cooperation directive issued against actor Ranveer Singh in connection with the ongoing Don 3 dispute. The development came a week after the actor approached court against the film body following the announcement of the directive at a press conference in Mumbai.
The federation also confirmed that it would respond to Singh's legal notice through legal channels. "We will respond to the legal notice in a legal way," FWICE members said while addressing the media on June 3.
During the same conference, FWICE president BN Tiwari said the federation had decided to withdraw the non-cooperation directive after receiving requests from industry bodies, including CINTAA (Cine and TV Artistes Association) and IMPPA (Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association).
Tiwari said FWICE had been in touch with several organisations across the film industry regarding the matter and claimed there was broad support for finding a resolution. He also pointed to a recent Producers Guild of India statement, which called for an amicable settlement while safeguarding the interests of everyone involved.
"We are taking back our non-cooperative directive with immediate effect after a request by IMPAA, the producers' guild and CINTAA. We have been told that we should all sit together with the producers' body and take an appropriate decision where neither the producers and directors nor the actor face any issues. No one has won or lost in this matter. Our legal department will respond to his legal notice," Tiwari said.
FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit, meanwhile, reiterated that the federation does not have the authority to impose a ban on any artist. He urged the media to avoid using the term "ban", stressing that FWICE can only advise its members against working with a particular individual and cannot prevent anyone from pursuing their profession.
Pandit confirmed that the federation's legal team is examining the notice sent by Ranveer Singh and will respond through appropriate legal channels. At the same time, he struck a conciliatory note, saying FWICE remains open to discussions and hopes the actor will engage in dialogue to resolve the dispute.
"We respect Ranveer Singh and his contribution to the industry. We want this issue to be resolved through conversation," Pandit said, adding that several industry bodies are now working towards a solution that is acceptable to all sides.
Earlier, a detailed report in Variety India revealed what allegedly transpired behind closed doors as Bollywood's biggest names attempted to resolve the dispute between the actor and Farhan Akhtar-Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment. The report paints a picture of the disagreement between the two parties, mentioning the one big Dhurandhar question that Ranveer couldn't skip answering.
Inside Ranveer Singh-Ritesh Sidhwani's showdown
As per the report, the matter grew far beyond a routine actor-producer fallout, eventually drawing in stars including Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan and Karan Johar.
The story began in August 2023 when Ranveer Singh was officially announced as the new Don, taking over one of Bollywood's most iconic franchises after Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.
Preparations for Don 3 were well underway by late 2025. Ranveer had participated in action training, rehearsals were being planned, and costume trials had already begun. But a major shift came on December 2, 2025, when Dhurandhar was released in theatres.
The film went on to become a blockbuster, dramatically altering Ranveer's position in the industry after a difficult phase at the box office.
Just days after attending script-reading sessions with Farhan Akhtar and the cast, Ranveer reportedly informed the makers that he was exiting Don 3.
By then, Dhurandhar had crossed the Rs 500-crore mark at the domestic box office. The decision shocked the production and triggered a dispute that would soon spill beyond the offices of Excel Entertainment.
Bollywood's biggest names step in
What followed was an unusual attempt by the industry to broker peace. The report claims that multiple mediation meetings were held after Excel Entertainment raised the issue with industry bodies.
Salman Khan was among those present at an early meeting. Subsequent discussions reportedly involved Hrithik Roshan, Alia Bhatt and Karan Johar. A later joint session attended by representatives from both sides included Aamir Khan, Anil Kapoor, Rohit Shetty, Rajkumar Hirani, Ashutosh Gowariker, Siddharth Roy Kapur and several other senior industry figures.
Ranveer reportedly arrived at one of the meetings with handwritten notes and spent nearly 90 minutes explaining his reasons for leaving the project. He is said to have raised concerns regarding the script, creative direction, budget revisions and production delays.
What if Dhurandhar had flopped?
One of the most striking moments from the mediation process reportedly came when producer Ritesh Sidhwani directly questioned Ranveer about the timing of his decision.
According to sources cited in the report, Sidhwani asked the actor whether he would have exited Don 3 had Dhurandhar not become a blockbuster.
The report claimed Ranveer responded that he would not have. The exchange is now being viewed as one of the most important moments of the discussions, especially given how closely the actor's exit coincided with Dhurandhar's massive success.
The dispute did not end with mediation.
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) on Wednesday withdrew the non-cooperation directive issued against actor Ranveer Singh in connection with the ongoing Don 3 dispute. The development came a week after the actor approached court against the film body following the announcement of the directive at a press conference in Mumbai.
The federation also confirmed that it would respond to Singh's legal notice through legal channels. "We will respond to the legal notice in a legal way," FWICE members said while addressing the media on June 3.
During the same conference, FWICE president BN Tiwari said the federation had decided to withdraw the non-cooperation directive after receiving requests from industry bodies, including CINTAA (Cine and TV Artistes Association) and IMPPA (Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association).
Tiwari said FWICE had been in touch with several organisations across the film industry regarding the matter and claimed there was broad support for finding a resolution. He also pointed to a recent Producers Guild of India statement, which called for an amicable settlement while safeguarding the interests of everyone involved.
"We are taking back our non-cooperative directive with immediate effect after a request by IMPAA, the producers' guild and CINTAA. We have been told that we should all sit together with the producers' body and take an appropriate decision where neither the producers and directors nor the actor face any issues. No one has won or lost in this matter. Our legal department will respond to his legal notice," Tiwari said.
FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit, meanwhile, reiterated that the federation does not have the authority to impose a ban on any artist. He urged the media to avoid using the term "ban", stressing that FWICE can only advise its members against working with a particular individual and cannot prevent anyone from pursuing their profession.
Pandit confirmed that the federation's legal team is examining the notice sent by Ranveer Singh and will respond through appropriate legal channels. At the same time, he struck a conciliatory note, saying FWICE remains open to discussions and hopes the actor will engage in dialogue to resolve the dispute.
"We respect Ranveer Singh and his contribution to the industry. We want this issue to be resolved through conversation," Pandit said, adding that several industry bodies are now working towards a solution that is acceptable to all sides.
Earlier, a detailed report in Variety India revealed what allegedly transpired behind closed doors as Bollywood's biggest names attempted to resolve the dispute between the actor and Farhan Akhtar-Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment. The report paints a picture of the disagreement between the two parties, mentioning the one big Dhurandhar question that Ranveer couldn't skip answering.
Inside Ranveer Singh-Ritesh Sidhwani's showdown
As per the report, the matter grew far beyond a routine actor-producer fallout, eventually drawing in stars including Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan and Karan Johar.
The story began in August 2023 when Ranveer Singh was officially announced as the new Don, taking over one of Bollywood's most iconic franchises after Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.
Preparations for Don 3 were well underway by late 2025. Ranveer had participated in action training, rehearsals were being planned, and costume trials had already begun. But a major shift came on December 2, 2025, when Dhurandhar was released in theatres.
The film went on to become a blockbuster, dramatically altering Ranveer's position in the industry after a difficult phase at the box office.
Just days after attending script-reading sessions with Farhan Akhtar and the cast, Ranveer reportedly informed the makers that he was exiting Don 3.
By then, Dhurandhar had crossed the Rs 500-crore mark at the domestic box office. The decision shocked the production and triggered a dispute that would soon spill beyond the offices of Excel Entertainment.
Bollywood's biggest names step in
What followed was an unusual attempt by the industry to broker peace. The report claims that multiple mediation meetings were held after Excel Entertainment raised the issue with industry bodies.
Salman Khan was among those present at an early meeting. Subsequent discussions reportedly involved Hrithik Roshan, Alia Bhatt and Karan Johar. A later joint session attended by representatives from both sides included Aamir Khan, Anil Kapoor, Rohit Shetty, Rajkumar Hirani, Ashutosh Gowariker, Siddharth Roy Kapur and several other senior industry figures.
Ranveer reportedly arrived at one of the meetings with handwritten notes and spent nearly 90 minutes explaining his reasons for leaving the project. He is said to have raised concerns regarding the script, creative direction, budget revisions and production delays.
What if Dhurandhar had flopped?
One of the most striking moments from the mediation process reportedly came when producer Ritesh Sidhwani directly questioned Ranveer about the timing of his decision.
According to sources cited in the report, Sidhwani asked the actor whether he would have exited Don 3 had Dhurandhar not become a blockbuster.
The report claimed Ranveer responded that he would not have. The exchange is now being viewed as one of the most important moments of the discussions, especially given how closely the actor's exit coincided with Dhurandhar's massive success.
The dispute did not end with mediation.
