The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has responded sharply to filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma's criticism of their non-cooperation directive against actor Ranveer Singh. The controversy began after FWICE issued a directive following a complaint about Ranveer Singh exiting the film Don 3 just weeks before it was scheduled to begin production.
Varma's Criticism of FWICE
Five days ago, Ram Gopal Varma posted a lengthy tweet on X, criticizing FWICE and questioning its authority. In his tweet, he wrote: "BAN 'FWICE' and not @RanveerOfficial. The so-called 'BAN' or non-cooperation 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 It is just a pure performative muscle flexing, by an extremely outdated union system, desperately trying to hold on to their grip." He further added, "Whether it claims to speak for over five lakh or 50 lakh workers, the brutal truth is that most of those lakhs don't even know the internal facts of the two parties dispute. FWICE is neither a court of legal justice nor a government authorized regulatory body, and at best it's a kangaroo court, which by definition pretends to deliver justice, but in actual fact it disregards established legal rules, due process and impartiality. That is because the verdict is often decided in advance by a group of a specific agenda oriented people meeting privately including actors who are scared shitless with the mega success of @RanveerOfficial in Dhurandhar."
FWICE's Response
Ashoke Pandit, President of the Indian Film and Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) and Chief Advisor of FWICE, responded to Varma's tweet. He said, "After our last press conference, many people commented on the Federation, and one of them was Ram Gopal Varma, whom we respect a lot. He posted a long tweet criticizing the Federation, questioning our authority and using abusive language against us. Of course, we live in a democracy and everyone has the right to express their views. However, we would like to remind him that more than Rs 1.25 crore remains payable to our technicians and workers. We are not making allegations out of thin air, nor are we trying to settle scores. We are merely reminding him of a matter that has been pending since 2017. The issue pertains to his film Officer, starring Nagarjuna. We repeatedly reached out to him and tried to resolve the matter."
Pending Dues Since 2017
Pandit elaborated on the long-pending matter, stating, "In 2019, Ram Gopal Varma wrote to the Federation acknowledging the outstanding payments due to Federation members and other vendors. He sought time until March 4, 2019, to clear all dues and stated that, failing this, FWICE could take any action it deemed appropriate. It is now 2026, and those payments have still not been made." He concluded, "We take strong objection to the language used against the Federation. Instead of abusing the organization, he should be apologizing to the Federation and settling these long-pending dues."
The exchange highlights ongoing tensions between FWICE and certain filmmakers, with the Federation asserting its role in protecting workers' interests while facing accusations of overreach. Ranveer Singh's exit from Don 3 remains a separate issue, but it has reignited debates about the power and practices of industry bodies in Bollywood.
