The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), which had last month issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh, withdrew the same today (3rd June) “in the interest of industry harmony and unity”. The FWICE, which is the umbrella association of many other associations, had ‘banned’ Ranveer Singh for his alleged last-minute withdrawal from Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Don 3.
Director Farhan Akhtar had filed a complaint against the actor in his Association, the Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA), in April this year. The matter was then referred by IFTDA to the FWICE for action and intervention. Farhan and Sidhwani claimed that Ranveer’s last-minute walk-out had put them to heavy losses as they had spent Rs. 45 crore towards the film’s pre-production expenses.
The FWICE withdrawal has come in the wake of an assurance from the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) that the concerns and issues involved in the matter would be addressed seriously and constructively, with a sincere endeavour towards arriving at an amicable, fair and mutually beneficial resolution at the earliest. A press release of the FWICE, announcing the withdrawal of the non-cooperation directive, says, “This step has been taken in good faith and with the hope that it will further strengthen the spirit of cooperation, understanding and unity within the film fraternity.”
It would not be out of place to mention here that erstwhile IMPPA president T.P. Aggarwal had, after the FWICE’s non-cooperation directive, knocked the doors of the court to have the directive declared null and void.