Ram Gopal Varma Calls FWICE 'A Kangaroo Court' Amid Don 3 Row: 'Ban Film Body, Not Ranveer Singh'

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has reacted to the ongoing controversy surrounding actor Ranveer Singh and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), strongly criticising the industry's workers' body over its recent non-cooperation directive against the actor.

What's Happening

• The dispute stems from Ranveer Singh's exit from Farhan Akhtar's Don 3. 
• Earlier this week, FWICE issued a non-cooperation directive against the actor, stating that he had failed to respond to multiple requests to appear before the federation and discuss the matter. 
• According to the body, three reminders were sent to the actor without receiving a response.
• The federation's move followed a complaint filed by Farhan Akhtar, who reportedly alleged that Ranveer's departure from the project caused losses of around Rs 45 crore in pre-production expenses.
• As the issue continues to draw reactions from across the film industry, Ram Gopal Varma shared a series of posts on social media, questioning FWICE's decision and its authority in the matter.
• "BAN 'FWICE' and not @RanveerOfficial. The so called 'BAN' or non co operation in the style of Gandhiji , will eventually become a BIG FAT JOKE on FWICE This isn't industry or worker protection, like they are claiming. It is just a pure performative muscle flexing, by an extremely outdated union system , desperately trying to hold on to their grip Whether it claims to speak for over 5 lakh or 50 lakh workers , the brutal truth is that most of those lakhs don't even know the internal facts of the two parties dispute," Varma wrote.
• The filmmaker further argued that FWICE does not possess the authority to adjudicate such disputes and compared the organisation to a "kangaroo court".
• "FWICE is neither a court of legal justice nor a government authorised regulatory body , and at best it's a kangaroo court , which by definition pretends to deliver justice , but in actual fact it disregards established legal rules, due process, and impartiality That is because the verdict is often decided in advance by a group of a specific agenda oriented people meeting privately including actors who are scared shitless with the mega success of @RanveerOfficial in Dhurandhar This will be a massive PR Disaster for FWICE because It is screaming in desperation while at the same time demonstrating its outdatedness."
• Varma also defended the role of actors in sustaining the film industry, saying that stars contribute significantly to employment generation and the industry's overall functioning.
• "It is stars like @RanveerOfficial who sell tickets at the theatres and not FWICE It is stars like @RanveerOfficial who create employment to those lakhs of FWICE workers and not FWICE It is only because stars like @RanveerOfficial exist , that the industry exists , and also the FWICE exists So in a summation , here is my unsolicited advise to all concerned 'Let's not poke our unwanted noses into a civil dispute between 2 parties'," he concluded.

BAN “FWICE” and not @RanveerOfficial

The so called “BAN” or non co operation in the style of Gandhiji , will eventually become a BIG FAT JOKE on FWICE

This isn't industry or worker protection, like they are claiming. It is just a pure performative muscle flexing , by an…

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) May 29, 2026

Shobhaa De Reacts To FWICE's Non-Cooperation Directive Over Ranveer's Don 3 Exit

Reacting to the issue, Shobhaa De criticised FWICE and drew parallels between the Ranveer Singh controversy and the ongoing Delhi Gymkhana Club matter.

She said in a video, "I've been following the Ranveer Singh thing. I've been following the Delhi Gymkhana thing. There's not that much of a difference. I mean, I'm saying this, and don't laugh. Ranveer Singh is like the Delhi Gymkhana in many ways of Bollywood. What is the whole thing about? It's about power, it's about control, it's about banning, it's about taking away, it's about putting people in their place, it's about teaching lessons to people or institutions. Maybe there's a sense of overprivilege or taking advantage of a certain position, without going into the legalities of it."

She further added, "What I'm saying is plainly this. Now, Ranveer Singh is sensible, clever, well-advised. He's holding his silence. He's keeping quiet, letting his fans and followers fight his battles for him. The Delhi Gymkhana, full of stuffed old shirts, sitting and sipping their gin and tonics, and keeping the rest of the world out, is a different story."

Questioning FWICE's role in the matter, she said, "Who is FWICE? I think I've got that right, because they didn't register with me. I don't think they're all that important, but suddenly they have assumed the kind of importance to say, 'Oh, we won't allow this man, this superstar, the most successful actor in India, to get to the studios and to his work.'"

Shobhaa De also criticised the non-cooperation directive and said it could negatively impact technicians and workers associated with projects featuring Ranveer Singh.

She said, "In the process, they're making themselves extremely unpopular with the very lobby they think they are protecting - the technicians and all the others who are going to be out of jobs for no fault of theirs. If it's a question that had to be resolved between Excel, Farhan Akhtar and Ranveer Singh, they could have either hired lawyers or gone to court, but not involved whoever these people are."

She further stated, "What is happening is something very ugly, and it goes well beyond one lobby trying to fix another very powerful lobby. There should be no political ideology when it comes to entertainment and when it comes to the careers of not just one star, but an entire sub-industry of technicians and others who are really badly hit by the so-called ban or refusal to cooperate."

Calling Ranveer Singh an "iconic movie star," she added, "In Ranveer's case, he is an iconic movie star. He's a phenomenon, and his stupendous success, which has to be credited to his director Aditya Dhar and producer of Dhurandhar, seems to be a conspiracy not just against one star - that's Ranveer Singh - but against Dhurandhar or everyone involved in it, in particular the director and producer."

She concluded by saying, "What Ranveer has successfully done by keeping quiet is enhance his own brand appeal and also his popularity. So, who's going to win this round? Let's wait and see."

The caption of her video read, "Ranveer Singh is the Delhi Gymkhana of Bollywood.....same same but different... Exclusivity instead of inclusivity? Stop behaving like Trump!!! Threats and intimidation???? Won't work. Never have. Regardless who the players are..."

What Is The Ranveer Singh-Don 3 Controversy?

The controversy began after FWICE issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh following his reported abrupt exit from Don 3.

At a press conference, FWICE Chief Advisor and Indian Film and Television Directors' Association President revealed that Farhan Akhtar had formally approached the federation with a complaint against the actor on April 11.

According to Ashoke Pandit, the complaint alleged that Ranveer Singh withdrew from Don 3 just three weeks before the shooting unit was scheduled to leave, causing significant disruption to the project.

Pandit stated that FWICE followed due process and invited producers Farhan Akhtar and others to present their case. While Ritesh Sidhwani attended the meeting in person, Farhan Akhtar reportedly joined virtually from London.

He also claimed that FWICE issued three formal notices to Ranveer Singh but allegedly received no response.

FWICE Clarifies It Is "Not A Ban"

Following backlash and widespread reporting describing the action as a "ban," Ashoke Pandit later clarified that FWICE had only issued a temporary non-cooperation directive and not an official ban.

Speaking to ETimes, he said, "See, first of all, the entire conversation has become wrong. It's not a ban. See, we are not the court; we can't ban people. So we have issued a non-cooperation. Non-cooperation means all our members who belong to 30 crafts will not work with him."

He further added, "So we, as a trade union, have issued this thing to our members that wherever he is there, you will not work till the time this issue is not sorted out. Because we very strongly feel that this is a very wrong trend that will start."

Ashoke Pandit also said the organisation intended to push both parties towards a resolution.

Poonam Dhillon Expresses Disappointment

Meanwhile, CINTAA president Poonam Dhillon expressed disappointment over the manner in which the issue unfolded.

Speaking to Variety India, she said, "It's a very strange situation to be in because it's one of our members, but neither the artist nor the producer or the Federation informed us or took us into their confidence. We could have tried to resolve the issue. That is what our association is there for - to resolve such disputes or any problems that arise between an actor and a producer."

She further added, "Ranveer, being a part of CINTAA, could have involved us and approached us so we could have tried to resolve the issue in a more amicable way. I would like every actor to honour their commitments in the best possible way. If there are any issues, they should handle them and, if needed, approach the association so we can resolve them together."

However, the actress clarified that she did not have complete information about the dispute and therefore could not comment on who was right or wrong.

Ranveer Singh's Team Breaks Silence

Amid the controversy, Ranveer Singh's spokesperson issued an official statement.

The statement 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."

It further added, "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."

The spokesperson concluded, "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."