Ranveer Singh, Don 3 Exit, And Rs 45 Cr Controversy: A Deep Dive Into Everything That Has Happened Before FWICE Boycott

 

Ranveer Singh is basking in the humongous success of Dhurandhar which has left the industry to rethink, reset and reshuffle to meet the benchmark set so high. While he was navigating lukewarm responses to his past few releases, the espionage action thrillers directed by Aditya Dhar helped him to be back in the big league. In fact, the two films released in quick succession put him on top of it with the massive box office record of Rs 3000 crore. While the actor is in his best phase professionally and personally, the Don 3 controversy has come as a big blow to him.

 

Fans of the Don franchise were excited when Farhan Akhtar announced Don 3 with Ranveer Singh after a gap of over a decade since the release of Shah Rukh Khan starrer Don 2. Ranveer was roped in to fill in the big shoes of SRK and the OG Don Amitabh Bachchan to play the lead in the third installment of the franchise helmed by Farhan Akhtar. The film produced by Farhan under his banner Excel Entertainment with his business partner Ritesh Sidhwani hit a roadblock following Ranveer's exit from the project in December 2025 after being attached to the project for nearly three years.

 

Ranveer's exit from Don 3 has now snowballed into a Rs 45 crore controversy, leading to the actor facing a non-cooperation directive (NCD) announced by the film body, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE). As the makers try to resolve the matter with the film body's intervention, here is a detailed look at everything that has unfolded so far in the Don 3 controversy.

FWICE's decision comes more than a month after Farhan approached the federation with a complaint over Ranveer's exit from Don 3, which was announced by Excel Entertainment in August 2023, with a teaser revealing the actor as the new Don.

 

"The complaint was filed by filmmaker Farhan Akhtar before IFTDA on 11th April 2026, following which the matter was officially referred to FWICE for further course of action and appropriate intervention. ln accordance with the principles of fairness, transparency, and natural justice, FWICE convened meetings to hear the matter from all concerned parties. Farhan Akhtar, along with the producer of the film. During the proceedings, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani informed FWICE that they have already incurred approximately Rs. 45 crores towards the pre-production of the film. He 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 the film," FWICE's letter read.

 

A press conference was also conducted by the film body regarding the whole issue. After the press meet, IFTDA chief Ashoke Pandit spoke with a news agency and explained what led them to take this decision.

In his complaint, Farhan 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, according to Ashoke Pandit.

"...As soon as the complaint reached us, we formally registered it...Subsequently, we issued three notices to Ranveer Singh; we sent a notice every ten days, inviting him to engage with us, and also sent three reminders. However, we received absolutely no response. Since we received no response, we collectively decided to convene a press conference to apprise the industry of the decision taken by our Federation. The moment we announced the press conference, we received an email from Mr Singh stating that this matter did not fall within our jurisdiction and that we had no authority to interfere in it. We took note of his stance and decided to proceed accordingly. Consequently, sitting together today, our Association has taken the decision to issue a 'Non-Cooperation' directive against Ranveer Singh," Ashoke Pandit said.

 

"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..," Pandit explained.

 

Non-cooperation means any member of FWICE belonging to all 38 crafts will not work on all those projects where Ranveer is a part. The boycott can spell all future projects of Ranveer to be stalled until the issue moves forward towards arriving at an amicable and final resolution in the interest of both parties. Notably, the non-cooperation directive against Ranveer comes at a time when he is at the peak of his career with the blockbuster success of his Dhurandhar franchise.

 

After FWICE announced a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer, the actor decided to break his silence in the matter and his official spokesperson shared 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 statement read.

Why Ranveer Singh is facing a boycott after exiting Don 3. Read on for a deep dive into the Rs 45 crore controversy and everything that happened behind the scenes.

 

Meanwhile, Farhan, in an earlier interview, spoke up about the controversy surrounding Don 3 and said that a lot has transpired over the last couple of years, and he has learnt to “expect the unexpected”. The actor-director also added that “Nothing can be taken for granted till you actually have it on film." He also acknowledged that this phase had been far more challenging compared to earlier times.

Needless to say, the Don 3 controversy has already become one of the biggest industry flashpoints in recent times for it involves creative differences, financial losses, contractual expectations, and the power dynamics between stars, producers and film bodies.

 

Why Ranveer Singh is facing a boycott after exiting Don 3. Read on for a deep dive into the Rs 45 crore controversy and everything that happened behind the scenes.

For the unversed, Ranveer and Farhan have previously worked together in the 2015 release Dil Dhadakne Do, the film directed by Zoya Akhtar wherein they shared screen space, and the latter also served as producer. The two again joined hands for Zoya's next directorial venture, Gully Boy, co-produced by Farhan. Don 3 would have marked their third collaboration.

Whether Don 3 eventually moves forward with a new lead actor or whether a reconciliation is still possible remains to be seen.