FWICE fires back at RGV over unpaid dues
The ongoing Don 3 controversy has taken a dramatic twist, with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) now taking aim at filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma. While the federation recently clarified it hasn’t called for a ban on Ranveer Singh, its representative Ashoke Pandit didn’t hold back while addressing Varma’s criticism of the organization.
Speaking to the media, Pandit acknowledged Varma’s contribution to Indian cinema before dropping a bombshell. “Today, I’m going to talk about a man who is one of the brilliant filmmakers of this country. We do respect him and some of us are even his fans regarding his technical skills. Ram Gopal Varma had used abusive language and a ban was called out for him. Today, we can tell you that he owes more than a crore, 25 lakhs, to the technicians and to the workers,” Pandit said.
The filmmaker-turned-federation representative made it clear that FWICE isn’t trying to tarnish Varma’s reputation but simply wants to remind him of pending dues that, according to the federation, remain unpaid since 2019. “We are not trying to demean his image or ruin his reputation or take revenge like he does. But we are just reminding him because I am sure he doesn’t remember,” Pandit added, referring to Varma’s 2017 Telugu film Officer.
A seven-year-old debt that refuses to die
According to Pandit, the issue dates back to 2017 when Varma made the Telugu feature Officer. “When we met, talked and tried to get technicians and workers to come to our office. We tried many things. After that, in 2019, Ram Gopal Varma wrote a letter to the federation,” Pandit revealed. But despite the letter, no payment has been made.
“I would like to say to Mr. Ramu, with due respect, today is 2026 and this money has not come to us. 2019, 2026, not a single money has come back to the workers and technicians and he expects us to be banned. We take strict objection on Mr. Ramu. He should apologise to the federation by using wrong words of banning and all and abusing us who work day in and day out to see to it that more than four and a half lakh workers, technicians are there working for you and completing the film,” Pandit fumed.
The FWICE representative urged Varma to reflect on the matter while continuing his filmmaking journey. “And I am sure he will understand this and while he is shooting again, after listening to this, he should keep these things in mind. We believe in respecting each other,” Pandit concluded.
The bigger picture: Don 3 controversy and industry tensions
The payment dispute comes amid heightened discussions involving FWICE, the Don 3 controversy, and recent social media exchanges surrounding the federation’s role in industry matters. While the federation had earlier clarified it wasn’t calling for a ban on Ranveer Singh, Varma’s comments about the organization seem to have reopened old wounds.
As the debate continues, Pandit’s statements have brought renewed attention to the alleged unresolved payment dispute dating back to 2019. Whether RGV will respond to these allegations or clear the dues remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the tension between the maverick filmmaker and the workers’ federation is far from over.