FWICE Withdraws Non-Cooperation Directive Against Ranveer Singh Following Legal Notice
In a new development, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has officially dropped the non-cooperation directive issued against Ranveer Singh. This decision comes just one day after the actor served a legal notice to the body about its directive concerning his exit from Don 3.
The controversy started from Ranveer’s exit from Don 3 after the release of Dhurandhar last December. On May 25, FWICE had announced the non-cooperation directive against him, a move that sparked widespread debate and drew reactions from several prominent industry figures, including Ram Gopal Varma, Padmini Kolhapure, Poonam Dhillon, Nikhil Dwivedi, and Sanjay Gupta.
During a press conference held in Mumbai on Wednesday, BN Tiwari, the president of FWICE, announced the withdrawal of the directive, saying that the decision was made on the request of CINTAA (Cine & TV Artistes’ Association) and IMPAA (Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association). He said, “Non-cooperation directive jo lagaya tha usko abhi se waapis lete hain (We take back the non-cooperation directive that was announced earlier from this moment itself).”
Addressing the legal developments, FWICE Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit confirmed that their legal team would respond to the notice sent by Ranveer Singh. Regarding the notice, Pandit said, “The legal letter came to us yesterday and it was requesting us to remove the non-cooperation directive. We appeal to Ranveer to come and sit with us and find a solution. We celebrate his stardom… We don’t have any authority to ban anyone. We are hopeful that there will be a positive reaction from Ranveer.”
Before the withdrawal of the order, the situation had intensified after veteran producer and former IMPPA president TP Aggarwal filed a petition before the Bombay Civil Court in Dindoshi. Aggarwal’s plea challenged the legitimacy of the directive, arguing that no trade body or organization has the legal authority to ban or direct others to refuse work to an individual. FWICE has indicated that its legal team will also file a response to the petition brought by TP Aggarwal.
The incident has highlighted broader industry concerns about professional commitments. The Producers Guild of India recently issued a statement addressing the growing instances of talent, directors and technicians withdrawing from projects at the eleventh hour. The body highlighted the financial impact on production houses like Excel Entertainment Private Limited and Panorama Studios International Limited, specifically referencing Ranveer Singh’s exit from Don 3 and Akshaye Khanna’s exit from Drishyam 3.
In its statement, the Producers Guild said, “No member of the industry should indulge in such behaviour that has, in these cases, led to substantial financial loss to our member producers as well as to other verticals in the industry. Such actions by any industry member have serious and far-reaching consequences and undermine the spirit of trust, professionalism and mutual respect on which the film industry is built.”
Also Read: Just In: FWICE Bans Ranveer Singh Amid Don 3 Fallout With Farhan Akhtar
