The escalating standoff between the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and Ranveer Singh over Don 3 just dragged another high-profile director into the firing line. Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit publicly demanded an apology from filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma on Wednesday, accusing the director of owing over Rs. 1.25 crore to industry technicians.
Varma actively inserted himself into the ongoing industry dispute by defending Singh and suggesting the federation itself should be banned instead of the actor. That public critique triggered an immediate, fierce retaliation from FWICE leadership.
Pandit didn’t hold back during his press interaction. He called out what he sees as blatant hypocrisy from the veteran director. “Ram Gopal Varma himself has not given Rs. 1.25 crore to the industry, to our workers and technicians,” Pandit stated, detailing the claim that dates back to 2017.
He noted that Varma was quick to call the federation’s non-cooperation directive against Singh illegal, yet continues to withhold payments from his own crew. “Isn’t that illegal?” Pandit asked reporters.
The financial grievance cited by the federation is not a recent development. This specific Rs. 1.25 crore debt is largely tied to unpaid wages for technicians who worked on Varma’s film Officer. The dispute reached a boiling point years ago when the FWICE formally banned Varma in January 2021 across its 32 affiliated unions. The federation’s grievance remains unresolved over five years later.
Now, Varma’s attempt to play industry mediator has resurrected a five-year-old financial ghost. By stepping into the crossfire, he forced the federation to remind the public exactly why they severed ties with him in the first place. The union shows no signs of cooling down, with FWICE leadership firmly holding their ground against both actors and directors who challenge their authority.