Ashoke Pandit backs Don 3 makers, calls Ranveer's abrupt exit a dangerous trend
Ashoke Pandit called Ranveer Singh's Don 3 exit a very dangerous trend for the film industry. The FWICE chief adviser said the producers had already spent Rs 45 crore before the actor walked out weeks before the shoot.
Ashoke Pandit, chief adviser of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), has described actor Ranveer Singh’s exit from Don 3 shortly before the shoot as a “very dangerous trend” for the film industry. Speaking to PTI, Pandit said producers Farhan Akhtar and Riteish Sidhwani told the federation that Rs 45 crore had already been spent on the film’s pre-production.
The dispute has now led FWICE to issue a non-cooperation directive against Singh. On Monday, the body announced that its members should not cooperate with the actor until the matter is resolved. It has also backed the producers’ demand for reimbursement of the alleged losses.
What Ashoke Pandit said
Pandit said Akhtar and Sidhwani approached the film body after making a substantial investment in the project. On Monday, he told PTI, “Just three weeks before the unit was supposed to leave for the shoot, Ranveer Singh withdrew from the film, and he left the film.” Excel Entertainment filed a complaint in April and said that Singh had signed a three-film contract with the banner.
According to the federation, Singh's exit from the project led to heavy losses for the production house. Pandit said the producers met with the organisation to address the issue and Singh was also called to present his side. Despite several reminders and meetings, the actor did not respond for about a month.
Why FWICE issued the directive
Pandit said Singh later wrote to FWICE and said the matter did not fall within its jurisdiction. “Then he wrote a letter saying it is not in our jurisdiction, so, there’s not a proper forum to take this call. So then we had an office bearers meeting and all that, we said that we should non-cooperation because if he feels that the Federation is not the right forum,” he added.
Pandit said FWICE had appealed to Singh and producer bodies to address such cases. He said, “We have made an appeal to him, to all the producer bodies, to get together and see to this trend, which is a very dangerous trend of anybody leaving a project.”
In its statement, FWICE said the industry functions as one extended family and that artists, technicians, workers, producers and directors are bound by mutual trust, professional commitments, respect and collective responsibility. It added that sudden exits at crucial stages threaten the industry’s working ecology, though it remains open to further talks.
Ranveer Singh’s response
Singh’s spokesperson said the actor had consciously chosen to remain silent on the issue. The statement said professional discussions and personal equations were best handled with dignity, maturity and mutual respect. It added that Singh had the highest regard for the film fraternity and everyone associated with the Don franchise, and that he did not wish to respond publicly or discuss the matter in the media.
A day after the directive was announced, Singh was seen at the airport on Tuesday. In videos that surfaced on social media, the actor was seen walking inside the airport premises in a white kurta-pyjama with a black overcoat, mask and sunglasses. He did not stop to speak, even as paparazzi called out to him and cheered for “Baba”.
Ashoke Pandit, chief adviser of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), has described actor Ranveer Singh’s exit from Don 3 shortly before the shoot as a “very dangerous trend” for the film industry. Speaking to PTI, Pandit said producers Farhan Akhtar and Riteish Sidhwani told the federation that Rs 45 crore had already been spent on the film’s pre-production.
The dispute has now led FWICE to issue a non-cooperation directive against Singh. On Monday, the body announced that its members should not cooperate with the actor until the matter is resolved. It has also backed the producers’ demand for reimbursement of the alleged losses.
What Ashoke Pandit said
Pandit said Akhtar and Sidhwani approached the film body after making a substantial investment in the project. On Monday, he told PTI, “Just three weeks before the unit was supposed to leave for the shoot, Ranveer Singh withdrew from the film, and he left the film.” Excel Entertainment filed a complaint in April and said that Singh had signed a three-film contract with the banner.
According to the federation, Singh's exit from the project led to heavy losses for the production house. Pandit said the producers met with the organisation to address the issue and Singh was also called to present his side. Despite several reminders and meetings, the actor did not respond for about a month.
Why FWICE issued the directive
Pandit said Singh later wrote to FWICE and said the matter did not fall within its jurisdiction. “Then he wrote a letter saying it is not in our jurisdiction, so, there’s not a proper forum to take this call. So then we had an office bearers meeting and all that, we said that we should non-cooperation because if he feels that the Federation is not the right forum,” he added.
Pandit said FWICE had appealed to Singh and producer bodies to address such cases. He said, “We have made an appeal to him, to all the producer bodies, to get together and see to this trend, which is a very dangerous trend of anybody leaving a project.”
In its statement, FWICE said the industry functions as one extended family and that artists, technicians, workers, producers and directors are bound by mutual trust, professional commitments, respect and collective responsibility. It added that sudden exits at crucial stages threaten the industry’s working ecology, though it remains open to further talks.
Ranveer Singh’s response
Singh’s spokesperson said the actor had consciously chosen to remain silent on the issue. The statement said professional discussions and personal equations were best handled with dignity, maturity and mutual respect. It added that Singh had the highest regard for the film fraternity and everyone associated with the Don franchise, and that he did not wish to respond publicly or discuss the matter in the media.
A day after the directive was announced, Singh was seen at the airport on Tuesday. In videos that surfaced on social media, the actor was seen walking inside the airport premises in a white kurta-pyjama with a black overcoat, mask and sunglasses. He did not stop to speak, even as paparazzi called out to him and cheered for “Baba”.
