Major Twist in the Don 3 Controversy! Producer Files Case Against FWICE, the Body That Issued Orders Against Ranveer Singh

New Delhi: The dispute surrounding Don 3—which erupted between Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar—has now taken a legal turn. The intriguing twist in this saga is that neither Ranveer nor Farhan has appeared in court. Instead, veteran producer T.P. Aggarwal has dragged the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE)—the very body that had been exerting pressure on Ranveer throughout this affair—to court. In addition to FWICE, he has also filed a petition against the Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (IMPPA).

The Connection Between T.P. Aggarwal’s Case and Ranveer Singh
The most shocking twist in the Don 3 controversy was the “non-cooperation” order issued by FWICE against Ranveer Singh. This order implied that none of FWICE’s members—comprising a workforce of 500,000 artists and technicians—would work on any of Ranveer’s projects. In essence, the order amounted to an “unofficial ban.”

However, T.P. Aggarwal has now filed a petition against both FWICE and IMPPA in the Bombay Civil Court at Dindoshi (Maharashtra). In his petition, Aggarwal asserts that no individual or organization possesses the authority to impose a ban or issue a non-cooperation order against members of the film industry.

T.P. Aggarwal is counted among the prominent figures of the Hindi film industry and served as the President of IMPPA for 17 years. He was also elected President of the Film Federation of India (FFI) on four occasions and currently continues to wield significant influence in his capacity as the Patron of both FFI and IMPPA.

“No One Has the Authority to Impose a Ban”
According to Bollywood Hungama, Aggarwal commented on the matter, stating: “The film industry operates on a spirit of cooperation, and such disputes should be resolved through legal and professional channels. Any attempt to discourage people from working with a specific individual should not be taken lightly. Such actions can have far-reaching consequences on people’s livelihoods and creative freedom.” “Therefore, these matters must be resolved in a manner that is fair, transparent, and strictly in accordance with the law.”

Agarwal stated that the actions taken by the FWICE were entirely improper and fell outside the scope of their jurisdiction. “We had approached the Competition Commission of India regarding this very issue back in 2017. The court, too, had ruled that they are not authorized to take such actions, as these matters do not fall within the ambit of their powers,” Agarwal added.

It will now be interesting to see what verdict the court delivers in this matter. The FWICE—which appeared to be siding with Farhan Akhtar’s company, Excel Entertainment, amidst the Don 3 controversy—has now found itself entangled in a court case of its own. Consequently, the burning question among the film fraternity is: where, exactly, will Farhan and Ranveer turn to lodge their grievances now?