Sardaar Ji 3 controversy: Diljit Dosanjh breaks silence, makers defend casting Hania Aamir in statement

As backlash over the casting of Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in Diljit Dosanjh's Sardaar Ji 3 continues, the makers have released a statement addressing the controversy and defending their decision to cast Hania in the project. Calls for a ban on the release of the film began ever since Diljit shared the trailer of the film. The actor had to later clarify that Sardaar Ji 3 would only release overseas and not in India.

Makers issue a statement

On Tuesday, the makers of the film released a statement defending their decision to cast Hania, saying she was signed on before tensions escalated between India and Pakistan. They cited this as the reason for not releasing the film in India, given the current climate.

“This is to bring to everyone’s kind notice that the film named, Sardaar Ji 3, was shot well before the prevailing situation that our country is facing now and it was never ever the case that any Pakistani artist was signed or was engaged after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam," read the statement posted on the social media handles.

The note further read, “We stand united with our country and our fellow countrymen during this sensitive time. Considering the same, we had decided not to release the film or any of its promotional content in India until the situation becomes opportune".

The statement was received with mixed reactions. While some social media users praised the film producers for not releasing the film, there were others who criticized them for not editing Hania’s character from the film.

Sardaar Ji 3 in trouble

The entire team of Diljit's Sardaar Ji 3 is facing intense backlash due to the inclusion of Hania Aamir in the film. The film also stars Neeru Bajwa. It is slated to open overseas on June 27.

Diljit Dosanjh breaks silence

Meanwhile, Diljit spoke to BBC Asia Network, addressing the controversy for the first time. Dosanjh also echoed the sentiments of the makers, saying that Hania’s casting occurred long before tensions escalated between India and Pakistan.

"Jab yeh film bani thi tab situation sab theek tha. We shot this in February 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. Toh producers ka bahut paisa laga hua hai aur jab yeh film bann rahi thi tab aisa kuch tha nahi. (When this film was made, everything was fine. We shot it in February and things were okay back then. After that, a lot of big things happened that are beyond our control. So the producers decided that the film obviously won’t be released in India now, so they’ll release it overseas. The producers have invested a lot of money, and when the film was being made, nothing like this was happening).

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, " said the actor.

Why the backlash

The film was trolled in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, followed by Operation Sindoor on May 7 in which India carried out air strikes on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The escalated tension between India and Pakistan led to the banning of social media handles of popular Pakistani actors in India, including Hania Aamir’s. Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor’s Abir Gulaal was also banned from India release. The film’s release worldwide has been postponed indefinitely.