Major film union in India calls for boycott of superstar Ranveer Singh

Fans of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh are reacting with shock after a major film workers' union asked its members not to work with him over his alleged abrupt exit from the upcoming movie Don 3.

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), a major Bollywood workers' association representing thousands of film and TV crew members, said producers had already spent about 450m rupees ($4.7m; £3.4m) on pre-production when Singh allegedly withdrew from the film.

FWICE said it repeatedly asked Singh to explain his position, but that he refused.

The actor has not commented on the dispute but reports say his team questioned whether FWICE had the authority to compel him to appear before it.

The BBC has reached out to Singh's team for comment.

FWICE president BN Tiwari said the union had decided to issue a "non-cooperation directive" against the actor until he agreed to meet its representatives.

"We've decided to send a message to the industry that a superstar is not bigger than the rules," he said.

The move does not amount to a formal ban, but it has still drawn widespread attention because of Singh's stardom and also because of the popularity of the Don franchise, one of the industry's best-known action series.

First made famous by Amitabh Bachchan in 1978, the films centre on a charismatic and elusive underworld figure determined to build a global criminal empire.

It was later rebooted by filmmaker Farhan Akhtar with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role.

Don 3, announced in 2023, was set to continue the franchise with Singh taking over as the new lead.

The row has also reignited discussion around Singh himself - one of India's biggest film stars, known for hits including Padmaavat and Gully Boy, and his flamboyant, larger-than-life personality.

Most recently, he starred in Dhurandhar, a two-part spy thriller which was one of the country's biggest box-office successes in recent years.

The controversy began after Akhtar lodged a complaint against Singh with FWICE, according to union official Ashoke Pandit.

Pandit alleged Singh withdrew from the film about three weeks before shooting was due to begin, after producers had already spent a lot of money on prepping and overseas schedules.

In response, FWICE asked its members to boycott the actor until he met the union to explain his position.

In a statement carried by several Indian media outlets, a spokesperson for the actor reportedly said that Singh had the "highest regard" for the film industry and the Don franchise, and had consciously chosen to remain silent on the matter. The BBC has asked the actor's team if the statement was issued by him but has not received a response yet.

Singh is not the first Bollywood actor to face a non-cooperation directive from FWICE, although such action against major stars is relatively rare.

The union has previously urged Indian artists not to work with Pakistani performers during periods of military tension between the two countries. In 2025, it issued a similar directive against actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh after he appeared alongside Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in a popular Punjabi comedy.

Reaction online to the latest dispute has been divided. Some social media users questioned whether Singh was being unfairly targeted, pointing out that he was not the first Bollywood actor to exit a film.

Others backed the producers, arguing that large-scale productions involve major financial commitments that can be disrupted by last-minute exits, and that Singh was "paying the price for being unprofessional".

It is not the first time the actor has found himself at the centre of public controversy.

In 2025, Singh faced backlash after mimicking a ritual sequence from the hit Kannada film Kantara during a film festival event. Critics accused him of disrespecting the cultural significance of the scene. He later issued an apology.

Earlier in his career, in 2015, he was among the celebrities caught up in the fallout from a controversial comedy roast that sparked police complaints and a wider debate about obscenity and free speech.

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