Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has been banned by the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) amid an escalating dispute with filmmaker-actor Farhan Akhtar over the upcoming film Don 3. The decision was announced on Monday evening after Farhan reportedly approached the workers’ body following Ranveer’s abrupt exit from the project.
The dispute centres around Ranveer Singh’s departure from Don 3, a film that was announced in 2023 as the next instalment in the popular Don franchise after Don (2006) and Don 2 (2011), both starring Shah Rukh Khan. Ranveer had been announced as the new lead for the franchise revival directed by Farhan Akhtar.
According to reports, FWICE issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh after reviewing a complaint submitted through the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA), of which Farhan Akhtar is a member. The federation has instructed members of the film industry not to work with the actor following his exit from the film.
Earlier, FWICE had released a statement confirming that it was examining the complaint and the circumstances related to the matter before taking a final decision. The statement had said, “During the press conference, FWICE will officially address the matter and communicate its stand and decision after examining the complaint and the related circumstances.”
Reports of differences between Ranveer Singh, Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment first surfaced in December 2025. The actor was reported to have exited the film shortly after the success of his Aditya Dhar directorial venture Dhurandhar.
Reports also claimed that Ranveer Singh had sought changes to the script, which allegedly did not go down well with the makers. During the controversy, speculation also emerged that Hrithik Roshan could replace Ranveer Singh in Don 3. Hrithik, who had appeared in a cameo in Don 2, later dismissed the rumours.
Farhan Akhtar is now reportedly seeking ₹40 crore in damages from Ranveer Singh, with reports stating that the film had already entered pre-production before the actor’s exit. The matter was also reportedly taken to the Producers Guild of India. However, the Guild is said to have advised both parties to resolve the issue amicably instead of pursuing legal action.
Recently, Farhan Akhtar also spoke about dealing with challenges in filmmaking during an interview with THR India. “What I’ve learnt is expect the unexpected. You can’t take anything for granted until it’s on film. You realise at some point, there’ll be a period that would come that would be a bit challenging. You’ve had it good. It’s okay, just take it in your stride. Sometimes, when roadblocks happen, I feel I should just go back to acting. I wouldn’t have to deal with all this stuff,” he said.
