Ranveer Wins, FWICE Ban Withdrawn

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has withdrawn the non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh which it had issued a week ago. The move comes after Ranveer sent a legal notice to FWICE.

Though details of the notice have not been revealed, indications are that Ranveer’s legal team challenged the union’s directive to its five lakh members, including artistes and technicians, to stop working with the actor after his exit from Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3.

Addressing the media, B N Tiwari (President, FWICE) said, “In the interest of producers and directors we have decided to withdraw the non-cooperation directive against the actor with immediate effect.” Explaining that, “Since we were unable to find a solution we have decided to recall our decision and find one,” he added that the union would meet both Farhan and Ranveer to reach an amicable resolution.

Film industry didn’t back FWICE’s decision

Earlier, the union and Farhan had rejected the actor’s olive branch and offer to settle the matter with a sum of Rs 10 lakh, insisting he pay Rs 47 lakh in damages. Industry bodies, including IMPPA (Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association), which represents producers and CINTAA (Cine and TV Artistes’ Association), the actors’ guild, objected to the FWICE directive.

Veteran producer T P Aggarwal, who moved the Bombay High Court challenging FWICE’s arm-twisting tactics, called it hooliganism. He said he learnt about the matter when he was planning a film with both Ranveer and Sanjay Dutt, and added that such actions could jeopardise not only an individual actor’s livelihood but also the employment of many people in the film industry. He added that these concerns ultimately prompted him to seek legal intervention.

“Why is FWICE taking such a stance when the full facts are still not known? Didn’t Farhan delay the film as well? Filmmakers have dropped actors before, and actors have walked out of films. Why are they singling out Ranveer Singh?”