Hindi cinema

Actor Ranveer Singh may encounter fresh hurdles in signing or beginning new film projects after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a “non-cooperation directive” against him over his abrupt departure from Don 3. The powerful film workers’ union, which represents more than four lakh technicians and workers across the Indian entertainment industry, has instructed its members not to collaborate on projects involving the actor until he attends a meeting with the organisation. FWICE president B N Tiwari stated that although Singh is currently not filming any project, the union would ensure its members do not participate in any future production featuring him. The controversy erupted after producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani reportedly approached the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) regarding Singh’s exit from the film. The matter was subsequently escalated to FWICE. The producers allegedly claimed that over ₹45 crore had already been invested during the film’s pre-production stage before the actor withdrew from the project. Legal experts, however, believe the union’s directive may face challenges if examined in court. According to lawyer Sonam Chandwani, such directives may carry operational influence within the industry but cannot automatically override an individual’s constitutional right to work. She noted that Indian courts have historically been cautious about blanket bans imposed by trade bodies without strong contractual or legal grounds. Chandwani explained that the key legal question would revolve around whether Singh violated any binding contractual commitments and whether the producers can prove financial losses resulting from his departure. If the exit was mutually negotiated or contractually permissible, punitive action from a workers’ union could struggle to stand legal scrutiny. Despite the legal ambiguity, the union’s stance could still create major production challenges. Large-scale film shoots rely heavily on technicians, set workers, camera crews, and other union-affiliated staff. Any refusal from these workers to cooperate could potentially delay schedules and inflate production costs for upcoming projects. FWICE cited a similar action taken earlier against Diljit Dosanjh after controversy surrounding his Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3, which featured Pakistani actor Hania Aamir. The federation had also opposed his participation in Border 2 before eventually allowing the project to continue following appeals from members of the industry. Meanwhile, producer-distributor Girish Johar expressed hope that the issue would be resolved amicably, while actor Manoj Bajpayee said industry colleagues were hoping for an early settlement despite not being fully aware of the details behind the dispute. Source: PTI