Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh's exit from Farhan Akhtar's Don 3 after Dhurandhar's success and emboiled into contrviery, from legal disputes to the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issuing a non-cooperation directive against the actor, which has now been revoked. The controversy that followed has been one of the biggest in recent times.

Despite the controversy, Ranveer Singh hasn't spoken anything about the ongoing feud with Farhan Akhtar.

Now the FWICE's chief advisor, Ashoke Pandit, has spoken up, saying due procedures were followed and in-depth documentation was carried out before the decision was taken.

According to him, the filmmakers informed FWICE that they had already invested approximately Rs 45 crores in pre-production and were preparing to begin filming.

According to Ashoke, the federation did not receive a response from the actor. "We kept sending reminders for one-and-a-half months," Ashoke said, adding that no reply was received during that period. He stated that FWICE subsequently reviewed documents and reports submitted by Ranveer's auditors.

Ashoke Pandit further defended FWICE's decision to intervene and added, "The unit was leaving for the shoot in three weeks. Tickets had been booked. Hotels had been booked. Everything had been done. A producer does not spend money like that without commitment from an actor."

According to Ashoke, on the day the federation was preparing to announce the non-cooperation directive, it received an email informing them that two representatives from the actor's team would meet them. Ashoke said the federation considered the matter serious and decided to proceed with the directive. However, he clarified that FWICE never imposed a ban on the actor. He stressed that accountability should apply to everyone working in the film industry.

"Many people from the industry, including Aamir Khan, had been trying to resolve the issue before it came to us. That also didn't work. Today it's Ranveer Singh. Tomorrow it could be someone else. This is what Excel is going through. If it was someone else, they would have gone to hell. They would have sold their house. You may have ten valid reasons for not doing a film. But if money has been spent because you committed to the project, then those losses should be reimbursed," Ashoke said.

At a press conference held in Mumbai on Wednesday, FWICE Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit said that its legal team will respond to the legal notice sent by Ranveer Singh.

"The legal letter came to us yesterday, and it was requesting us to remove the non-cooperation directive," he said.

"We appeal to Ranveer to come and sit with us and find a solution. We celebrate his stardom... We don't have any authority to ban anyone. We are hopeful that there will be a positive reaction from Ranveer," he added.

Ashoke Pandit pointed out that Excel Entertainment had signed Ranveer Singh long before the actor's recent resurgence. "Excel signed Ranveer Singh when four of his films had not worked. They signed him before Dhurandhar became a success," he told Hindi Rush.

According to him, industry relationships should be remembered even when careers take an upward turn. "It's great that the film has worked and that he's operating at another level now. But people should also remember those who stood by them when things weren't going their way."

Pandit also reflected on the nature of stardom in Bollywood. "We've seen Rajesh Khanna's stardom. We've seen Shah Rukh Khan's stardom. We've seen Salman Khan's stardom. Stardom is a very relative thing."

He added that while audience love is invaluable, professionalism remains the foundation of the industry. "People adore you, clap for you and celebrate your success. That's a wonderful thing. But commitment and trust are equally important."

On Aditya Dhar and Ranveer Singh's success

He also praised Aditya Dhar and Dhurandhar, which he believes have provided a much-needed boost to Bollywood. "You have revived the industry. Aditya Dhar has given life back to the industry. He has injected oxygen into the business. It's the kind of film that can genuinely bring people back to theatres. The entire industry has celebrated that achievement. We are celebrating Dhurandhar, and we will continue to celebrate it. But that is a different issue altogether."

He added, "Mixing the success of a film with a contractual dispute only creates confusion."

He went on say, "A producer invests crores based on trust. Hundreds of technicians commit years of their lives to a project because they trust the commitments being made."

"Whether you're the biggest superstar or the smallest technician, commitments have to be honoured."

He concluded by saying that the federation's larger objective is to protect the industry's ecosystem. "We have no personal issue with anyone. Our only concern is ensuring that trust and professionalism continue to exist in the industry."

In the ongoing Don 3 dispute, Farhan Akhtar claimed that he had investedRs 45 crore in the film.

The amount has reportedly been fully audited and accounted for, with the producers inviting further scrutiny if required. Amid the standoff, all parties, including Farhan Akhtar, Ranveer Singh, Ritesh Sidhwani and the concerned film bodies, are said to be open to sitting across the table to resolve the matter amicably, with the aim of restarting the film and ensuring no one suffers further losses.