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'Sardaar Ji 3': Diljit Dosanjh Defends Film Pulled from Indian Release Amid Pakistani Co-Star Row
As 'Sardaar Ji 3' faces boycott in India over casting Pakistani actor Hania Aamir, singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh says the project was made when relations were stable. Film body FWICE demands his removal from upcoming patriotic films
Diljit Dosanjh has defended his latest film Sardaar Ji 3, which will not release in India following public outrage over its casting of Pakistani actor Hania Aamir. The controversy has also led to calls from a prominent film industry body to remove the singer-actor from upcoming high-profile projects.
Dosanjh stars alongside Canadian actress Neeru Bajwa and Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in the Punjabi-language film, which opens internationally on Friday. The film’s Indian release was scrapped after Aamir faced backlash for comments perceived as anti-India, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attacks that killed 26 civilians.
Speaking to BBC Asian Network, Dosanjh explained that production wrapped before political tensions escalated. "When the film was being made, the situation was OK," he said. "After that, there's been a lot of things... that are not in our hands." He added, "The producers decided that the film won't be able to release in India but it can release overseas... they are already going to have a loss."
Aamir reportedly posted on social media calling India’s response to the Pahalgam attack “cowardly” and “shameful,” prompting online criticism and calls to boycott the film. While Dosanjh noted that he “didn’t have much time” with Aamir on set, he described her as “very professional” and said their experience working together was “very good.”
In the wake of the controversy, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued letters to several industry stakeholders, including producer Bhushan Kumar, director Imtiaz Ali, and actor Sunny Deol. The group condemned Dosanjh’s involvement in Sardaar Ji 3 and called for his removal from upcoming films including Border 2, a sequel to the 1997 war epic.
“Such casting decisions are a disservice to the sacrifices made by our armed forces,” FWICE wrote, citing its 2019 directive that prohibits collaboration with Pakistani artists following the Pulwama terror attack. The body reiterated its stance following the Pahalgam incident, in which civilians were killed.
Addressing Deol directly, FWICE said it hoped the actor’s history of patriotic roles would guide him “to take a stand in line with the nation’s sentiments.”
As of now, Dosanjh and the filmmakers behind Border 2 and Imtiaz Ali’s untitled project have not issued a response to FWICE’s objections.