Producers of Ranveer Singh's upcoming projects may unite to challenge ban

What will be the fate of Ranveer Singhrsquos movies in the pipeline That was the big question in the Hindi film industry after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees FWICE on May 25 announced a noncooperation directive against the actor in relation to producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwanirsquos complaint that he had abruptly exited Don 3 and allegedly caused significant financial losses to the project The directive is likely to affect Singhrsquos slate which has the ambitious zombie thriller Pralay and Aditya Dharrsquos next on Chandragupta MauryaAll eyes on lsquoPralayrsquoPralay directed by Jai Mehta is slated to roll in August Trade insiders say that the film mdash produced by Singhrsquos Maa Kasam Films Hansal Mehtarsquos True Story Films and Birla Studios mdash will involve nearly 500 technicians and workers across departments including action lighting costumes makeup art direction and spot staff Considering 34 vendor associations fall under the FWICE the noncooperation directive threatens to disrupt the filmrsquos schedules midday contacted Hansal and Jai for a comment on the filmrsquos probable delay but they didnrsquot respond till press timeHansal Mehta and Jai MehtaA source from the production however told midday that the directive would do more harm than good ldquoIn the Hindi film industry where over 70 per cent of the daily wage earners are already out of work because not many films are being made shouldnrsquot the FWICE allow them to work instead of taking opportunities away with this directive As for Pralay in the worstcase scenario Ranveer can take the cast and crew and shoot the movie anywhere in India While the FWICErsquos stand applies to all of its members it cannot legally stop nonmembers from working If Pralay is shot outside Mumbai the makers may bypass the FWICEaffiliated workers by hiring local crew members belonging to other unionsrdquo said the sourcelsquoDirective is effectiversquoAshoke PanditAshoke Pandit chief advisor FWICE is confident that the directive issued is the right approach in light of the situation That said the cine body is open to a resolution between Singh and Don 3 makers When midday reached out to him Pandit said ldquoThe FWICE directive is effective because our federation has 34 vendor associations under it If they donrsquot have vendors workers and technicians who will they shoot with People underestimate the strength of the federation The situation can only be resolved if everybody sits together and sorts it out amicablyrdquoNext stop CCIRanveer Singh PicsAFP InstagramSources indicate that producers of Singhrsquos upcoming projects may approach the Competition Commission of India CCI against the FWICErsquos directive In a 2017 case filed by filmmaker Vipul A Shah the CCI held that practices such as issuing noncooperation directives preventing producers from hiring nonmembers stalling shoots and restricting the supply of services amounted to anticompetitive conduct under the Competition Act A producer associated with one of Singhrsquos upcoming films said on condition of anonymity ldquoIf this situation escalates further producers may collectively approach the commission for interventionrdquoRanveer Singhrsquos other filmsChandragupta Maurya project to be directed by Aditya Dhar and backed by Jio Studios He is said to be in talks with YRF head honcho Aditya Chopra for a filmWhen Diljit Dosanjh faced FWICErsquos wrathIn 2025 the FWICE had issued a noncooperation directive against Diljit Dosanjh after he worked with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in lsquoSardaar Ji 3rsquo Producer Bhushan Kumar had appealed to the federation to allow the actor to complete his portions in lsquoBorder 2rsquo Ashoke Pandit chief advisor FWICE recalled ldquoThat was a separate case because Bhushan had already shot 80 per cent of his film with Dosanjh With Ranveer the lsquoDon 3rsquo shoot has not begunrdquoRs 45 crAmount producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani allegedly spent on lsquoDon 3rsquo preproductionRs 300 CRReported budget of lsquoPralayrsquo