A major film industry union in India has called for a boycott of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh amid an escalating dispute over his reported withdrawal from the upcoming film Don 3.

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), which represents thousands of film and television workers, has issued a non-cooperation directive against the actor, urging members not to work with him until he appears before the union and explains his position.

The controversy centers on Singh’s alleged exit from Don 3 shortly before an overseas shooting schedule, after substantial pre-production spending reportedly amounting to hundreds of millions of rupees. Union representatives say the sudden withdrawal caused financial disruption for producers and crew planning the shoot.

FWICE claims it repeatedly sought clarification from Singh but received no direct response. The union says the directive is intended to enforce accountability within the industry rather than serve as a formal legal ban.

The dispute has drawn additional attention due to the scale and visibility of the Don franchise, one of Bollywood’s most established action series, previously led by Amitabh Bachchan and later Shah Rukh Khan before Singh was announced as the next lead in 2023.

While Singh has not publicly commented in detail on the controversy, reports suggest his team has questioned the union’s authority to compel appearances before it. Filmmaker Farhan Akhtar is also reported in Indian media to have raised concerns with the union regarding the project’s disruption.

The non-cooperation call has triggered debate within the industry and online, with some defending producers over the financial impact of last-minute exits, while others argue that such measures against top actors are excessive.

FWICE has previously issued similar directives in industry disputes, though actions involving leading mainstream stars remain uncommon.