5 min readNew DelhiMay 28, 2026 07:16 PM IST
The controversy surrounding Ranveer Singh’s exit from Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3 continues to escalate, triggering a rift between major film bodies. Cine and TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) president Poonam Dhillon has termed the Federation of Western India Cine Employees’ (FWICE) ‘ban’ on Ranveer as “strange,” claiming her association was left in the dark. In response, FWICE President BN Tiwari hit back, alleging that Dhillon has been dodging his calls.
‘CINTAA would’ve done more research,’ says Poonam Dhillon
While talking to HT City, Poonam said, “I don’t know the details of the case so I dont want to give an uninformed opinion on the case. The only thing is FWICE should have taken us into confidence, we are affiliates and as a representative if they had asked us we would have tried to mediate in the case. We would have done more research and have more involvement for certain. We are equally part of all the associations that FWICE holds.”
She further added, “Banning is a very strong word for any actor especially a hardworking boy, a role model who has made it big on his own talent. Normally the artiste reaches out to us and asks us to be party to resolving the dispute but in this case the artiste didn’t do so we were not aware and got to know from the media, which is not the right way to go about it.”
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Poonam Dhillon had also spoken to SCREEN regarding Ranveer Singh’s Don 3 controversy, and said, “Till I have the right information, I cannot give an opinion on a situation because what we have heard already is what we have read in the media. It’s a very strange situation to be in because it’s one of our members, but neither the artiste, the producer, nor the Federation has informed us or taken us into confidence.”
What BN Tiwari said
Responding to Poonam Dhillon’s claims, FWICE President BN Tiwari said, “I had written a letter to her (Poonam Dhillon) that if she knows Ranveer well she should mediate and solve this matter. Though, this is not her department. We had received a letter from the director’s association and by Ashoke Pandit to help Farhan in the capacity of a filmmaker. It’s not possible for us to call up each association to attend the meeting. She can come join us and click photos. We are ready to share credit. We are not here to degrade anyone. We don’t need to show our power.”
He continued, “I have called her twice after she raised this issue but she has not been taking my calls. We are only interested in solving this matter. It’s not an ego issue. All we said is we will not work with Ranveer till he shares his version of the case. The intention is not to ban him. We invite anyone who is willing to help solve the matter to come forward.”
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Was Ranveer Singh banned?
The controversy began after Ranveer Singh exited Don 3 just three weeks before the film was scheduled to go on floors. Following his exit, producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani reportedly sought Rs 45 crore in damages from the actor, citing extensive pre-production work that had already been undertaken based on his prior commitment. Farhan subsequently approached FWICE to help resolve the matter.
FWICE later called for a meeting regarding the issue, but Ranveer reportedly did not attend despite being invited three times. According to FWICE, the actor’s manager informed the body that the matter did not fall under its jurisdiction, and therefore Ranveer would not engage with them.
At a recent press conference, FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit announced that its members would refrain from working with Ranveer Singh until the issue was resolved.
Ranveer’s team later reacted to the controversy by issuing a statement that read, “Ranveer Singh holds the highest regard for the film fraternity and for everyone associated with the Don franchise. Throughout the recent developments surrounding Don 3, he has consciously chosen to maintain silence, believing that professional discussions and personal equations are best handled with dignity, maturity, and mutual respect. While several narratives and speculations have surfaced over time, Ranveer has never considered it necessary to respond publicly or contribute to conjecture. His focus remains firmly on his work and the commitments ahead.”
