When you think of what’s next for Ranveer, you don’t picture a rom-com or a quick cameo in some cop franchise. This is a full-on zombie movie. Only there is a snag: an FWICE directive is in the way of Pralay, the kind of big, Rs 300 crore showpiece that was meant to be a sharp change of pace for the Dhurandhar star after the Don 3 fiasco.
What Pralay Is All About
On paper, it is a post-apocalyptic story set in a Mumbai that has been torn apart. They are talking about using AI to put together the look of a city in ruins – not something you see in your average Hindi film and a bold move all around.
Jai Mehta is in the director’s chair for his first time in theatres. If you have seen Scam 1992 or Lootere, you know he can tell a story with some heft, which is good because the premise is anything but down-to-earth.
The People And The Money
There is no light weight here. Word is Hansal Mehta and Sameer Nair of Applause Entertainment are co-producing, as well as True Story Films and Ranveer’s own Ma Kasam. Jai Mehta and Vishal Kapoor have put pen to paper on the script.
Kalyani Priyadarshan is being talked about for the second lead. They’ve even brought in an international crew for the VFX and stunts. It was put out there in late December 2025 with the idea of making a splash.
Where FWICE Comes In
After Ranveer made his exit from Don 3, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees made it known they would not be working with him. Their line is that he never got back to them when asked to come and put his side of the story forward.
It means no spot boys, no technicians, no one. FWICE has 5000 members and 36 unions under its wing, so their word carries water in this industry and beyond, whether it’s a film or an ad.
Then you have Excel Entertainment, the ones behind Don 3, who want some recompense for the pre-production costs they put in before he bailed. His camp has been quiet on it; a spokesperson said they prefer to let ‘professional discussions and personal equations’ be dealt with in a mature way rather than make a scene.
A Moving Target
Up until this point, the plan for Pralay was to push hard. Some had the script in the can and were ready to be on the floor by August 2026. We were told principal photography was to start in the middle of the year.
Not any more. An official from FWICE put it plainly: we won’t have our people on his sets until he comes to us. And without them, even the early work comes to a standstill.
For The Fans And The Bottom Line
Let the non-cooperation run its course and you could be looking at a lot of empty sets and VFX teams with nothing to do. At these numbers, the bill adds up. For the rest of us, it is a matter of whether we get to see Bollywood’s most audacious zombie film or if it goes the way of a few others.
FWICE is telling producers to be in lockstep with them. That puts a crimp in things for Ranveer, not just in movies but in the endorsement world too, turning a casting issue into something much bigger.
How It Stands
So far, this is where we are:
– Ranveer shows up to talk to them, and the ban is off.
– Producers are expected to be firm.
It is a simple equation for Pralay. Put the dispute to bed and you have a zombie epic in the making. Don’t, and a Rs 300 crore project is in limbo before you even call action.
Ranveer has been making a point of not saying much. But with the kind of buzz you get after Dhurandhar and an audience wanting to see him in a role like this, his next step will tell us if this is a new chapter or a lesson in what not to do.
