Ranveer Singh Finds An Unexpected Ally Amid Don 3 Row: Ram Gopal Varma Breaks Silence On FWICE Clash

Ranveer Singh Don 3 Row: The ongoing war between Ranveer Singh, Farhan Akhtar and FWICE over Ranveer quitting Don 3 took a dramatic turn when director Ram Gopal Varma took a stand in Ranveer’s favor. 

True to form, RGV pulled absolutely no punches, calling the union’s actions a “big fat joke” and went on to say that the system was outdated and a ban should have been cast on FWICE instead of Ranveer.

The Root of the Row: A ₹45 Crore Fallout

The clash stems from Ranveer’s high-profile withdrawal from Farhan Akhtar’s heavily anticipated Don 3, a project that had been in active development for three years. Following the monumental box-office success of Dhurandhar, Ranveer reportedly walked out of the franchise reboot, citing constant script changes.

However, producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment claim the actor’s sudden exit, just three weeks before cameras were set to roll, left them with a staggering audited loss of ₹45 crore spent on extensive pre-production, international location scouts, and hotel bookings.

When Ranveer ignored three consecutive summonses from FWICE to discuss compensation, stating via email that the union held zero legal jurisdiction over a private contractual matter the federation had no choice but to retaliate. Backed by its massive network of over four lakh daily wage workers, technicians, and spot boys, FWICE issued an industry-wide boycott against the actor.

Ram Gopal Varma Blasts FWICE: “A Kangaroo Court”

BAN “FWICE” and not @RanveerOfficial

The so called “BAN” or non co operation in the style of Gandhiji , will eventually become a BIG FAT JOKE on FWICE

This isn’t industry or worker protection, like they are claiming. It is just a pure performative muscle flexing , by an…

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) May 29, 2026

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) to break his silence, Ram Gopal Varma didn’t just defend the Dhurandhar star; he launched a full-scale offensive against the federation’s authority.

“BAN ‘FWICE’ and not @RanveerOfficial,” Varma stated bluntly. “The so-called ‘BAN’ will eventually become a BIG FAT JOKE on FWICE. This isn’t industry or worker protection, like they are claiming. It is just a pure performative muscle-flexing by an extremely outdated union system, desperately trying to hold on to their grip.”

Expanding on his stand, Varma slammed the body’s lack of legal standing in a civil dispute:

• No Legal Authority: RGV publicly labeled FWICE a “kangaroo court” that delivers biased, pre-decided verdicts while bypassing due process.

• Economic Reality Check: He argued that the federation fundamentally misunderstands who feeds whom in showbiz. “It is stars like Ranveer who create employment for those lakhs of FWICE workers, and not FWICE. It is only because stars like him exist that the industry exists.”

• The Jealousy Factor: Varma went ahead to say that this decision to place a ban on Ranveer is not just as the industry is jealous of the success Ranveer has been able to pull which is not so easy for the others who are rather afraid of the Dhurandhar superstar

Industry Split: CINTAA Steps In

Varma isn’t the only heavyweight backing Ranveer. The Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) has moved quickly to distance itself from FWICE’s aggressive stance. Veteran actress and CINTAA Vice-President Padmini Kolhapure publicly extended her solidarity, stating:

“CINTAA is proud to have Ranveer Singh as our member. We stand by him and support him whenever he needs us… He can count on CINTAA.”

This internal division highlights a civil war between the actors’ guild and the technicians’ trade union over how contractual disputes should be mediated.

Ranveer’s Stance: Dignified Silence

While the industry fights around him, Ranveer’s camp is maintaining strict damage control. A spokesperson for the actor issued a measured response, reinforcing his decision to handle professional equations with “dignity, maturity, and mutual respect,” while choosing conscious restraint over public mudslinging.

With FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit backtracking slightly, clarifying to the media that the directive is technically a “non-cooperation order” rather than a legal ban. The ball is back in Ranveer’s court. However, with RGV blowing the lid off the federation’s enforcement tactics, what was supposed to be a private compensation dispute has officially blown up into a referendum on trade union power in modern Bollywood

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