The ongoing controversy surrounding *Don 3*, Ranveer Singhand the Federation of Western India Cine Workers (FWICE) took another turn at a press conference held by the film workers organization in Mumbai on June 3. The press conference comes after the FWICE withdrew its non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh following a legal notice issued by the actor.During the interaction, FWICE Senior Advisor Ashoke Pandit came down hard on the filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma for his recent statements against the federation and asked for a public apology.Addressing the media, Pandit said, “FWICE is not a bully; it is a serious federation. Ram Gopal Varma used abusive language about us. Today we would like to tell the world: RGV owes more than one million to the technicians. The case has been pending since 2017.”Highlighting the federation’s longstanding dispute with the filmmaker, Pandit added, “He (Ram Gopal Varma) wrote a letter to the federation. He asked the federation for help to give him time to make the payment. He said he would pay by March 2019. He has not paid yet. We apologize for using abusive words against the federation.”The remarks were in response to a series of social media posts shared by Ram Gopal Varma after the FWICE announced its decision to impose a ban on Ranveer Singh. Known for his outspoken views, the filmmaker questioned the federation’s authority and accused it of overstepping its mandate.In one of his posts, Varma wrote, “BAN ‘FWICE’ and not @RanveerOfficial. Gandhiji style so-called ‘BAN’ or non-cooperation will eventually become a BIG JOKE at FWICE. This is not industry or worker protection as they say. It is just pure performative muscle, through a very antiquated trade union system, whether one talks about 5 lakh or 50 lakh plus workers desperately trying to hold their own, the brutal truth is that most of these lakhs do not even know the inner workings of the conflict between the two parties.“The dispute resolution federation also questioned: “FWICE is not a court of legal justice nor an authorized government regulatory body and is at best a kangaroo court which by definition pretends to deliver justice but actually ignores established legal norms, due process and impartiality. This is because judgment is often pre-judged by a private group. No shit @RanveerOfficial’s success in Dhurandhar This is going to be a huge PR Disaster for FWICE as it screams desperation while showing its obsolescence.“The exchange has added another layer to the larger *Don 3* controversy, which continues to fuel tensions between the film’s establishment and those who have publicly opposed his actions.
