Ranveer Singh offers prayers at Chamundeshwari Temple after Karnataka HC closes ‘Kantara’ mimicry case

MYSURU: Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh visited the Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills on Tuesday morning and offered prayers, a day after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) announced a non-cooperation directive against him over his exit from “Don 3”.

“He visited the temple around 7.30 am,” said M.J. Roopa, secretary of the Sri Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority.

According to temple sources, the visit was private. “He entered the temple around 7.30 am like a common devotee and spent nearly 10 minutes inside offering prayers,” sources said.



Temple staff later recognised the actor and welcomed him with a garland. “He was wearing a mask,” sources added.

The visit also comes after the Karnataka high court earlier closed proceedings against the actor in connection with the “Kantara” mimicry case while directing him to visit the temple.

'Don 3' controversy

The actors temple visit comes amid an ongoing controversy over his 'exit' from the movie 'Don 3' due to which, a cine worker's organisation claimed that its more than four lakh members would not work with Dhurandhar star. The film’s producers, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, had filed a complaint before the Indian Film & Television Directors' Association, which referred the matter to FWICE.

FWICE honorary general secretary Ashok Dubey said the federation had decided on a non-cooperation directive after Singh allegedly failed to respond to repeated notices.

“We will not work with Ranveer Singh after today, whether it is cameraman, spot boy, lightmen or anyone else from our side. This non-cooperation will continue till the dispute is cleared,” Dubey said at a press conference.

Responding through his spokesperson, Singh said he continued to hold “deep respect and goodwill” for everyone associated with the franchise and chose to maintain silence on the matter out of “dignity, maturity and mutual respect”.

“Don 3” was intended to mark Akhtar’s return to direction after Don 2, which starred Shah Rukh Khan. The original Don featured Amitabh Bachchan and Zeenat Aman.