'We Can't Ban People...': FWICE Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit Clarifies Federation's Action Against Ranveer Singh Amid Don 3 Row

On Monday, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees, during a press conference, announced that they had issued a 'non-cooperation directive' against actor Ranveer Singh amid the Don 3 row. Soon, it was reported that the actor had been banned by the federation. However, FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit clarified that they cannot ban anyone.

While talking to ETimes, Pandit said, "See, first of all, the entire conversation has become wrong. It's not a ban. See, we are not the court; we can't ban people. So we have issued a non-cooperation. Non-cooperation means all our members who belong to 30 crafts, you know, they will not work with him. It's my choice whether I want to work with him or not."

He further stated, "So we, as a trade union, have issued this thing to our members that as far as wherever he is there, you will not work till the time this issue is sorted out. Because we very strongly feel that this is a very wrong trend that will start."

Ashoke Pandit Says Producers Will Be Doomed

Pandit, who is also a filmmaker, further stated that if directors and actors leave a film at the last moment, then producers will be doomed. He said, "This will be a big loss, and then ultimately, everybody is not Excel Entertainment that they can afford to lose crores. They will commit suicide."

He added, "So we tried to bring in a little bit of this thing that at least we can sit together and sort this out, and hopefully it will. I'm sure... we are still hopeful that it will happen. But the point is, for that, we have to meet."

During the press conference, Pandit had stated that after Farhan Akhtar and Riteish Sidhwani complained against Ranveer, they had invited the actor to personally come and speak to them on the matter. However, after inviting him thrice, he didn't respond.

Later, when they announced the press conference, they received an email from Ranveer stating that the issue didn't come under their jurisdiction.