The Ranveer Singh Ban is About More Than One Star

At the start of 2026, Ranveer Singh’s stars appeared perfectly aligned. On December 5 last year, Dhurandhar released and, within days, turned into a juggernaut. The spy drama found ready takers at the box office. Its songs dominated social media. Then, on March 19, amid frenzied anticipation, Dhurandhar 2 came out. Collectively, both movies earned over $300 million worldwide, a major feat for any franchise. The films also catapulted Singh to a new stratosphere of stardom. But months later, on May 25, it seemed like the rapid rise had come to a screeching halt, as news started spreading that the actor was now facing an industry-wide ban. 

The decision came from the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), a Mumbai-based union representing over 500,000 workers in Indian film and television — a group that most have likely never heard of until only a few days ago. The notice was reportedly the result of a feud between Singh and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar. In 2023, Akhtar had announced Don 3, the third part of his reboot of the 1978 cult film co-written by his father, Javed Akhtar. The teaser with Singh was out, but then there was a lull. And now this.

Since then, much has been written about the ban. And while the unusual nature of the decision befits discussion, it also feels like a definitive judgement on what has been merely whispered for months: the demise of Bollywood stardom. Stars, by definition, are usually untouchable and unreachable. How, exactly, can they be extinguished? The Ranveer Singh saga, then, offers an unsettling answer.