‘Sardaar Ji 3’ Success: Diljit Dosanjh Unfazed By Backlash In India Over Hania’s Casting; Check It Out!
Diljit Dosanjh recently marked the worldwide success of his latest release, Sardaar Ji 3, even as controversy brews in India over the casting of Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. Here’s how he reacted to the backlash. Diljit Dosanjh, who kicked off 2024 on a high note with a series of sold-out concerts across India and his widely discussed Met Gala debut, is now facing a fresh wave of controversy.
The singer-actor’s latest Punjabi film, Sardaar Ji 3, has sparked backlash after its trailer revealed that Pakistani actress Hania Aamir plays the lead role in the movie.
Diljit Dosanjh Celebrates Sardaar Ji 3‘s Global Success
Despite ongoing backlash over Hania Aamir’s casting in Sardaar Ji 3, Diljit Dosanjh has remained committed to the project, drawing criticism from netizens and organizations like the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), who are now calling for strict action against him. Unbothered by the controversy, Diljit has continued to focus on the film’s success and the appreciation it’s receiving internationally. On June 29, 2025, he took to Instagram to re-share several videos showcasing audience reactions from theatres in Pakistan. One of the videos included a caption that read: “12 shows on ultra screens, the largest in the country. The overwhelming response from the audience for Sardaar Ji 3. Come and watch!”
In a separate update, Diljit Dosanjh celebrated the global success of Sardaar Ji 3, as the box office numbers rolled in. The film earned an impressive ₹11.03 crore within just two days. It opened with ₹4.32 crore on day one and saw significant growth on day two, collecting ₹6.71 crore. Notably, these earnings are primarily from international markets, including Pakistan, as the film has not been released in India.
Diljit Dosanjh stood in support of Sardaar Ji 3‘s release
Diljit Dosanjh is currently promoting Sardaar Ji 3 internationally and recently spoke with BBC Asian Network about the film’s overseas release and the backlash it has received in India. Addressing the controversy, the actor-singer clarified that Hania Aamir was cast much earlier, and the film was shot with her back in February 2025 — well before the Pahalgam attack took place.
He explained that the situation eventually shifted beyond their control. Taking into account the sentiments of Indian audiences, the filmmakers chose to release the film overseas in an effort to recover a portion of their investment. As a result, Diljit backed the decision made by the team. In his words:
“Jab yeh film bani thi tab situation sab theek tha. We shot this in Feb and then everything was fine. Uske baad, bhut saari badi cheezen humare haath mein nahi hai. Toh producers ne decide kiya ki film obviously ab India toh nahi lagegi, toh overseas release karte hain. They know there will be a loss because you’re removing an entire territory. Even when I signed the film, everything was fine. Now, the situation is not in our hands. So if the producers want to release it abroad, I support them.”
FWICE Urges Makers to Drop Diljit Dosanjh from Border 2
Following the release of the Sardaar Ji 3 trailer, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) made a public appeal to the makers of Border 2, urging them to remove Diljit Dosanjh from the cast. The organisation stated that casting him in a patriotic film like Border 2 was “unacceptable.” Despite their request, producers Bhushan Kumar and Nidhi Dutta have not issued any response.
