Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh finally broke his silence on this entire controversy on the release of Sardaar Ji 3. For the unversed, Diljit shared the trailer of his upcoming film on June 22 and landed intro trouble for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the lead role. After much trolling on and offline, the actor and producer of Sardaar Ji 3 decided to skip the India release and opted for an overseas release of their film. Now Diljit has finally opened up on the entire controversy.
What did Diljit Dosanjh say?
In a conversation with BBC Asian Network, Diljit Dosanjh said that the shooting of the film was completed in February 2024 and times were different then. 'When the film was made, everything was fine. The events that happened later were not in our control,' he said along with adding that the producers of the film knew in advance that this film would not be able to be released in India, so they decided to release it only abroad. 'A lot of money has been invested in the film and when we shot it, there was no controversy. Now that the situation has changed, if the makers want to show it abroad, I will support them,' said the singer-turned-actor.
Diljit Dosanjh on working with Hania Aamir
Diljit also talked about his relationship with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir and clarified that they only talk about work. 'Hania is very professional. I respect her work and personal space. I myself also believe in private life, so our conversation is limited to work only,' he added.
Reason for controversy
On 22 April 2025, a major terrorist attack took place in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which many soldiers were martyred. After this, the Indian film industry together decided that no work would be done with any Pakistani artist in the future. Moreover, Hania's comments against India during Operation Sindoor also didn't help the film. Moreover, after the trailer of Diljit's film was out, an outburst was seen on and off social media. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) stated, 'By working with a Pakistani artist, Diljit Dosanjh has hurt the sentiments of the Indian people. He chose a Pakistani artist, ignoring Indian talent, this raises questions on his intentions.'
However, it has been decided that 'Sardaar Ji 3' will no longer be released in India. This film will be released only overseas on June 27, 2025.
Also Read: Film certification bodies to ban Diljit Dosanjh amid Sardaarji 3 controversy, say reports