Fresh turbulence has hit Bollywood after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh following his abrupt exit from ‘Don 3’, escalating the ongoing dispute between the actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar.The controversy comes months after the massive success of Singh’s action drama ‘Dhurandhar’, which reportedly revived the actor’s box office momentum and strengthened his standing in the industry. Amid the renewed spotlight on Singh’s career trajectory, his exit from ‘Don 3 ‘has now snowballed into one of Bollywood’s biggest industry disputes.On Monday, FWICE said its more than four lakh members would refrain from working with Singh after he allegedly failed to appear before the federation despite repeated reminders seeking discussions over his withdrawal from the film. The matter was referred to FWICE by the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) after complaints were filed by Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani.The third instalment of the ‘Don’ franchise had reportedly been in development for nearly three years and was expected to reboot the popular series with Singh in the lead role. Producers have claimed that over Rs 45 crore had already been spent during the film’s pre-production phase before the actor exited the project just weeks ahead of the scheduled shoot.FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit alleged that Singh withdrew from the film barely three weeks before filming was to begin. According to Pandit, the actor later informed the federation through an email that FWICE did not fall within the jurisdiction of the dispute.Responding through an official spokesperson, Singh maintained that he continues to hold “deep respect and goodwill” for everyone associated with the franchise and believes professional disagreements should be handled with “dignity, maturity and mutual respect”.“Throughout the recent developments surrounding ‘Don 3’, he has consciously chosen to maintain silence, believing that professional discussions and personal equations are best handled with dignity,” the statement said, adding that the actor remains focused on his future commitments.The fallout has also sparked intense debate across social media, where fans and industry insiders continue to speculate about the reasons behind Singh’s departure. Unverified online claims have suggested that repeated script changes, casting reshuffles and creative disagreements may have contributed to the actor’s decision to walk away from the project.The dispute now places a cloud over one of Bollywood’s most anticipated franchise reboots, even as Singh moves ahead with upcoming projects, including the zombie thriller ‘Pralay’, which is expected to mark his debut as a producer.Prayers, penance at Chamundi HillsBollywood actor Ranveer Singh on Tuesday visited the Chamundeshwari temple in Mysuru and offered prayers. The visit to the shrine on top of Chamundi Hills comes in the wake of the Karnataka High Court directive. The High Court last month had quashed proceedings against the Bollywood actor in the case related to his mimicry of the deity’s depiction in the film ‘Kantara 1’. The court decision followed the actor’s submission of an unconditional apology. The court had also accepted the revised affidavit submitted by his advocate and had asked him to visit the Chamundi deity to make amends for his conduct. The controversy relates to remarks allegedly made by the actor at the Filmfare Awards event in Goa while speaking about the film ‘Kantara’.