Sunday, May 31, 2026

Don 3 controversy: Ram Gopal Varma SLAMS “kangaroo court” FWICE over non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh; calls the decision “a massive PR Disaster”

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has spoken about the ongoing issue involving Ranveer Singh, Excel Entertainment, and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) regarding the film Don 3.

 He shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter) about the dispute, supporting Ranveer Singh and questioning FWICE’s decision to issue a non-cooperation directive against the actor.


The controversy started after reports said Ranveer Singh had left the film Don 3, leading to a conflict with Excel Entertainment, which is run by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani.
 According to reports, the production company claimed that his withdrawal caused nearly Rs 45 crores in losses from pre-production work, location scouting, and other expenses.

After the disagreement, FWICE sent multiple notices to Ranveer Singh, asking him to explain his side.

 When his legal team questioned if the federation had the right to intervene in a private contract, FWICE decided to take a non-cooperation stand against him.

Ram Gopal Varma strongly criticized the federation's involvement in the matter.
 On X, he wrote, “BAN ‘FWICE’ and not @RanveerOfficial.”

He argued that this was a contractual issue between two parties and should not be treated as something that affects the whole industry.

 “At the heart of this whole matter is a producer claiming massive pre-production losses, but that is just a private contractual dispute between two parties, like it happens in millions of cases all the time and all over India in all businesses,” he wrote.

Varma also questioned FWICE’s authority to get involved in such a matter, saying, “FWICE is neither a court of legal justice nor a government authorized regulatory body.”


He added that only the people directly involved knew the full details of the disagreement and suggested any legal issues should be resolved through proper judicial channels.

 “Only the disputing parties will know the intricacies about what happened, and so the matter should be between them like any other civil matter, and in case one or both appeal to a court, the judge decides the matter,” he said.

He also argued that the actor’s professional reputation would not be affected by the dispute.
 “And here we arrive at the main point that everyone in their heart knows, including the disputing company, and for that matter even FWICE, that if @RanveerOfficial simply nods a yes, there will be a one kilometre long queue of producers outside his house tomorrow morning with cheques ready,” Varma wrote.

He ended his comments by urging everyone to refrain from interfering in what he described as a civil dispute.
 “Let’s not poke our unwanted noses into a civil dispute between 2 parties,” he stated.

These comments come at a time when the Don 3 controversy continues to be discussed in the film industry.
 Earlier, CINTAA Vice-President Padmini Kolhapure publicly supported Ranveer Singh, while CINTAA president Poonam Dhillon suggested that the matter could have been handled differently if the association had been approached earlier.

Meanwhile, representatives of Ranveer Singh have not made any public comments on the issue, saying that professional disagreements are best handled with maturity rather than through public speculation.

 Readers may recall that source recently reported that Salman Khan has been trying to mediate between the parties privately in an effort to find an amicable resolution.

As of now, neither Excel Entertainment nor Ranveer Singh has officially commented on the future of Don 3.

A.R. Rahman to compose music and co-produce Shekhar Kapur’s Masoom: The New Generation

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and music composer A.R. Rahman have shared news about a new movie called Masoom: The New Generation. This film is inspired by Kapur's 1983 film Masoom. This project brings Kapur and Rahman together again, as they have worked on other movies like Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Bombay Dreams, and Why? The Musical. In this new film, Rahman will not only create the music but will also act as a co-producer.

The makers say that Masoom: The New Generation will explore themes like family, identity, love, and migration in a modern setting.

 It will keep the emotional depth that made the original film so special.

Shekhar Kapur shared his thoughts on the project.
 He said, "For a long time, I’ve felt that the themes of Masoom are worth looking at through today’s eyes. Families, relationships, and identity have changed a lot, and cinema should change too. Rahman has always been able to make music that touches the soul of a story and its audience. Having him as both composer and creative partner makes this journey even more special."  

A.R. Rahman also talked about his involvement in the project.
 He said, "Working with Shekhar has always been a great experience. He has been a mentor and a powerful creative influence in many ways. When he shared the film's vision, I wanted to be involved in more than just the music. There's something timeless about Masoom, and bringing that emotional world to a new generation feels both exciting and important."  

The film will have a group of talented actors, including Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Manoj Bajpayee, Nithya Menen, and Kaveri Kapur.

The original Masoom, released in 1983, is one of the most praised films in Hindi cinema.
 It was famous for its deep portrayal of family and emotional struggles. With Masoom: The New Generation, the filmmakers want to revisit these themes but in a modern social context.

The film is currently in the early planning stage and is expected to start filming later this year.
 A global release is planned for 2026.

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Padmini Kolhapure says CINTAA stands with Ranveer Singh amid FWICE non-cooperation directive over Don 3 dispute

The controversy around the movie Don 3 is getting worse. Now, actor Ranveer Singh is getting support from Padmini Kolhapure, who is the Vice-President of the Cine and TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA). This support comes as there is a disagreement between Excel Entertainment, the company that made the movie, and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE).

Padmini Kolhapure said that CINTAA is standing by Ranveer Singh.
 She mentioned that FWICE has told its members not to work with Ranveer on any future projects or ads until the problem is solved. She also said that CINTAA is ready to support Ranveer whenever he needs them.

This issue started when it was reported that Ranveer Singh left the movie Don 3 without notice.
 Excel Entertainment, run by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, claimed that this caused them a loss of about 45 crores. They said Ranveer had already done a lot of work before he left, like discussing the story and promoting the film.

Ranveer’s team said he had signed a deal to do three movies and had been involved in the project before deciding to step back.
 They also said that the decision to leave was his own.

FWICE sent notices to Ranveer asking him to explain his decision, but his legal team said the federation couldn’t be involved in a deal between an actor and a production company.
 After that, FWICE told its members not to work with Ranveer until the issue is settled.

Earlier, CINTAA president Poonam Dhillon said the situation was frustrating because the association wasn’t informed about the issue early on.
 She said CINTAA wants to help resolve problems between actors and producers.

Ranveer’s team has been quiet throughout the controversy and has asked people to avoid public comments, saying such disagreements should be handled privately and calmly.


Some reports say that Salman Khan is trying to help settle the dispute between Ranveer and the Akhtar family, so that it doesn’t affect the industry.

Chand Mera Dil Box Office: Has stable weekdays, reaches almost Rs. 20 crores in Week One

After opening with Rs. 3 crores, *Chand Mera Dil* needed to grow over the weekend and then stay steady during the weekdays to make decent collections in its first week. The film is mainly playing in upscale multiplexes in major cities and is aimed at college students. Most of the audience coming to see it are from these areas. Now, everyone is watching the second week to see if the movie can do better.


The film saw good growth on the weekend, with Rs. 3.50 crores on Saturday and Rs. 4.10 crores on Sunday.
 That made the weekdays even more important. Monday brought in Rs. 2 crores, followed by Rs. 1.90 crores on Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday each brought in Rs. 1.80 crores.

There are no major films coming out today, so *Chand Mera Dil* has been getting good attention at the theatres.
 This means the collections shouldn’t drop much and should reach over Rs. 1.50 crores again. If that happens, the growth on Saturday should be good because for multiplex audiences, this is still the best choice. The first week of the film has already reached close to Rs. 20 crores, with total collections standing at Rs. 18.10 crores. From this point, it is expected to bring in another Rs. 30 crores for this romantic drama directed by Vivek Soni.

The Great Grand Superhero Movie Review: THE GREAT GRAND SUPERHERO is a wellintentioned and rare children's film.

The Great Grand Superhero Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating  

Star Cast: Jackie Shroff, Prateik Smita Patil, Bhagyashree  


Director: Manish Saini  

The Great Grand Superhero Movie Review Synopsis:  
THE GREAT GRAND SUPERHERO is the story of a kid and his bond with his grandfather.
 Dipu (Mihir Harshad Godbole) moves to Hoshiyarpur with his family — grandfather Jagdish Chandra (Jackie Shroff), father (Kundan Kumar) and mother (Riddhi Shukla). He gets admitted to Adarsh Vidya Mandir school in the town and finds it hard to make friends. Laddu (Shivanssh Chourghe) is curious about Dipu and starts talking to him. To keep him interested, Dipu tells a story that his grandfather is a superhero with superpowers. He even says his grandfather often fights aliens. Laddu gets excited and tells the story to his classmates. All the classmates want to meet his grandfather. Dipu is unsure because his grandfather is not a superhuman. He is old, afraid of lizards and can't even lift heavy things. Dipu needs to find a way to make sure his classmates don't find out the truth. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

The Great Grand Superhero Movie Story Review:  
Manish Saini's story is very fresh and much-needed, since there are not many films aimed at kids.
 Manish Saini's screenplay is full of delightful moments but also has some parts that are confusing. His dialogues are funny.

Manish Saini's direction is good.
 He works with a new kind of story and doesn't rely much on references, so he sticks to his ideas and keeps the audience engaged. Dipu's entry scene and the way the story about his grandfather spreads among the classmates, leading to awe and even suspicion, keeps the interest going. There's a twist in the first half that adds more excitement. The appearance of two mysterious creatures in town brings a lot of humor. It's also funny how the film connects to the TV Show Mahabharat, GADAR [2001], and KOI MIL GAYA [2003]'s Jaadu.

On the other hand, the film's execution is a bit messy in some parts.
 A few scenes don't connect well, especially during the break. The film starts with Laddu narrating the story of Dipu's grandfather to a group of adults, which feels forced. Some developments confuse the audience — was the handicapped girl Chingy (Asmi Deo) Dipu's classmate? If yes, why don't we see her in class except for her entry scene? Why don't Musi (Bhagyashree) or her friends take part in the final fight? The two creatures are with Jagdish, they have the ability to help, but they don't. The writer-director should have worked on these points for better impact.

The Great Grand Superhero Movie Review Performances:  
Jackie Shroff acts in a way that makes his character believable and effective.
 He handles the superhero scenes well without going overboard. Mihir Harshad Godbole makes a strong impression and gives a confident performance. Shivanssh Chourghe is the one who brings a lot of laughs throughout the film. Jihan Jeetendra Hodar (Chanakya) is very good as the clever character who sees through the superhero claims. Asmi Deo is okay, but her performance is let down by the script. Bhagyashree and Prateik Smita Patil do well in their cameo roles. Kundan Kumar and Riddhi Shukla are not given enough attention; the makers should have focused more on them and explained why they keep moving around. Saharsh Shukla and Kumar Saurabh are well-cast. Durgesh Kumar (Kannu; Khulasa News journalist) is reliable as expected. Sharat Saxena (Kartar Singh) supports well and adds some humor.

The Great Grand Superhero movie music and other technical aspects:  
None of the songs — 'Dushman Ka Dada', 'Superhero Dada', and 'Uth Jaa' — are catchy or memorable.
 The background score fits the film's quirky theme.

Swathy Deepak's cinematography is cinematic.
 The locations are beautifully captured. Snigdha Karmahe and Pankaj Pol's production design is stylish. Bhagyashree D Rajurkar, Anuj Sharma, Prasun Basu and Gauri Tiwari's costumes are realistic, and the superhero costume is appropriate. Firefly Creative Studio's VFX is decent in some parts, but overall, it's not up to the mark. Parvez Shaikh's action scenes are good and not too violent, which is suitable for children. Girgit Studios' animation at the beginning is fun. Deepa Bhatia's editing is sharp.

The Great Grand Superhero Movie Review Conclusion:  
Overall, THE GREAT GRAND SUPERHERO is a well-intentioned, rare children's film from Bollywood, driven by a unique plot and heartwarming performances from Jackie Shroff and the young actors.
 Unfortunately, its potential is lowered by a disjointed script and confusing moments. At the box office, it has limited hype and would need good word of mouth to reach its target audience.

Friday, May 29, 2026

Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai cleared by CBFC with U/A rating; runtime locked at 136 minutes

Source has found out that the highly anticipated family movie Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has officially got its censor certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification. The film has been given a U/A rating, which means it's suitable for all ages, but parents are advised to watch it with their kids under 12.



Those who know about the film say that the final approved length is 136 minutes, which is 2 hours and 16 minutes.
 The process of getting the certificate has been completed recently, and the film is now on track for its planned release.

People in the film industry believe the makers wanted to keep the movie's fun and musical feel while making sure it's a solid experience in the theatre.
 A runtime of 136 minutes is considered just right for a romantic movie that mixes drama, comedy, music, and emotional scenes without being too long.

The title Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has already caught people's attention because of its nostalgic feel and classic Bollywood-style romance.
 Industry experts think the film is trying to connect with audiences who love big, lively love stories on the big screen.

Even though the creators haven't shared much about the story, getting the censor certificate means the marketing will pick up speed soon.
 With all the formalities done, the film is now in its final stretch before it hits the theatres.

Salman Khan turns Cupid in Ranveer Singh-Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3 war; superstar steps in to broker peace

Salman Khan is often referred to as the Godfather of the Indian film industry because he is always there to support people during difficult times. As the industry is currently dealing with a disagreement between Ranveer Singh and Farhan Akhtar regarding the movie Don 3, Salman has taken initiative to help both sides find a peaceful solution and avoid creating a media spotlight over the issue.

A source shared with source that Salman Khan has a good relationship with both Ranveer and the Akhtars.
 He has spoken to both parties and encouraged them to resolve their differences without harming the future of their respective projects. He explained to Farhan that creative differences are common in the industry and had a long conversation with Ranveer to understand his position. Salman is acting as a mediator to ensure that neither party feels wronged.

The source also mentioned that Salman has advised both parties to think of the industry as one and work together on another project once the current debate subsides.
 Both Farhan and Ranveer have taken Salman's advice seriously and are considering finding a mutually agreeable solution without causing controversy. Salman does not want any legal conflicts between Ranveer and Farhan, nor does he want the film organizations to make decisions based on incomplete information. He has asked the two to settle their differences without involving any third party, including himself.

Salman is supporting Farhan for any losses that might occur and is also encouraging Ranveer to start a new project to take advantage of the historic success of Dhurandhar.