- Sanjay Gupta criticised FWICE's non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh
- FWICE clarified that it issued a non-cooperation directive, not an official ban on Ranveer
- FWICE members can individually decide whether to work with Ranveer Singh
The ongoing controversy surrounding Ranveer Singh's exit from Don 3 has now sparked a fresh war of words between filmmaker Sanjay Gupta and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE).
After Sanjay Gupta questioned FWICE's decision to issue a Non-Cooperation Directive (NCD) against the actor, the film body has now responded to his remarks.
Reacting to Sanjay Gupta's social media post, FWICE General Secretary Ashok Dubey defended the federation's stand and reminded the filmmaker that the same film bodies had once stepped in to help him during a crisis involving his film Mumbai Saga.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Dubey recalled an incident from the shoot of Mumbai Saga when actor Jackie Shroff allegedly refused to continue working due to an issue over a dialogue.
"I want to ask Sanjay Gupta ji that when a few years back his film Mumbai Saga was being shot and Jackie Shroff ne aane se mana kar diya, ye hi IFTDA aur federation ne hi mil ke problem solve karvaya tha. Where was this objection then?" Dubey said.
Earlier, Sanjay Gupta had indirectly criticised FWICE's move against Ranveer Singh, stating that such actions affect not just actors but also hundreds of workers employed on film sets.
Responding to the criticism, Dubey clarified that FWICE has not officially banned Ranveer Singh. He stressed that the federation has only issued a Non-Cooperation Directive, under which members can individually decide whether they wish to work with the actor.
"Agar ye trend chalta raha to kaafi filmmaker aur producers nuksaan mein jaayenge. Humne kisi ko ban nahi kiya, humne to non cooperation bola hai, federation ke members ka decision hai ye film body ka internal decision hai," he said.
Sanjay Gupta's Post
After the federation announced an indefinite non-cooperation directive against Ranveer following his sudden departure from Farhan Akhtar's much-anticipated film, Sanjay took to social media to indirectly question the logic behind the decision.
"When an A List Hero shoots there are more than 300 workers working on sets. Ban him and you are not stopping him but depriving the workers of their livelihood. What sense does it even make???" Sanjay Gupta wrote on X.
FWICE on Monday announced a non-cooperation directive against actor Ranveer over his abrupt exit from Don 3. The decision comes more than five months after filmmaker Farhan formally approached the federation with a complaint regarding the actor's withdrawal from the project.
Later, Ranveer's official spokesperson issued a statement, saying, "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. 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," the spokesperson concluded.