The controversy began after Akhtar lodged a complaint against Singh with FWICE, according to union official Ashoke Pandit.
Pandit alleged Singh withdrew from the film about three weeks before shooting was due to begin, after producers had already spent a lot of money on prepping and overseas schedules.
In response, FWICE asked its members to boycott the actor until he met the union to explain his position.
In a statement carried by several Indian media outlets, a spokesperson for the actor reportedly said that Singh had the “highest regard” for the film industry and the Don franchise, and had consciously chosen to remain silent on the matter. The BBC has asked the actor’s team if the statement was issued by him but has not received a response yet.
Singh is not the first Bollywood actor to face a non-cooperation directive from FWICE, although such action against major stars is relatively rare.
The union has previously urged Indian artists not to work with Pakistani performers during periods of military tension between the two countries. In 2025, it issued a similar directive against actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh after he appeared alongside Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in a popular Punjabi comedy.
Reaction online to the latest dispute has been divided. Some social media users questioned whether Singh was being unfairly targeted, pointing out that he was not the first Bollywood actor to exit a film.
Others backed the producers, arguing that large-scale productions involve major financial commitments that can be disrupted by last-minute exits, and that Singh was “paying the price for being unprofessional”.
It is not the first time the actor has found himself at the centre of public controversy.
In 2025, Singh faced backlash after mimicking a ritual sequence from the hit Kannada film Kantara during a film festival event. Critics accused him of disrespecting the cultural significance of the scene. He later issued an apology.
Earlier in his career, in 2015, he was among the celebrities caught up in the fallout from a controversial comedy roast that sparked police complaints and a wider debate about obscenity and free speech.
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