As Sardaar Ji 3 continues to face political backlash in India for featuring Pakistani actress Hania Aamir, lead actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh has shared a video celebrating the film’s success in Pakistan—ignoring growing calls for his removal from upcoming Bollywood projects.
The Punjabi-language supernatural comedy was released internationally on June 27, 2025, but skipped Indian cinemas due to rising cross-border tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.
Despite its absence in the Indian market, Sardaar Ji 3 recorded strong numbers overseas—especially in Pakistan, where it set a new record for the highest opening day collection for any Indian film.
Diljit reposts viral Pakistani cinema video
On Sunday, Diljit reshared a video originally posted by Universal Cinemas—one of Pakistan’s largest cinema chains—showing packed theatres and an enthusiastic audience reacting to the film.
The clip highlighted that Sardaar Ji 3 was running 12 shows on the biggest screens in Lahore and Islamabad. Notably, the video opened with Hania Aamir’s entrance scene, underscoring her prominent role despite the controversy.
The caption on the video read: “12 shows on the biggest screens in the country. Amazing response from the audience for Sardar Ji 3. Come and watch.” Diljit shared the video via his Instagram Stories, a move many interpret as a subtle but firm response to the backlash in India.
Global earnings touch Rs11 crore in 2 days
According to figures shared by the film’s team, Sardaar Ji 3 earned Rs4.32 crore on its first day and Rs6.71 crore on its second, bringing its total global earnings to Rs11.03 crore within just 48 hours of release.
Pakistan has emerged as the film’s most enthusiastic market, following its record-breaking first-day gross of Rs4.5 crore—the highest ever for an Indian film in the country, surpassing Salman Khan’s Sultan (2016).
Political backlash and industry pressure mounts
The film has been embroiled in controversy since its trailer dropped earlier this month, revealing Hania Aamir as a lead. Several Indian film federations criticised the casting of a Pakistani actress in light of renewed hostilities between the two nations. Subsequently, the Film Federation of Western Indian Cinema (FFWIC) called for a boycott of the film, and industry leaders wrote to the producers of Border 2, urging them to remove Diljit Dosanjh from the cast.
Similarly, director Imtiaz Ali has also reportedly been approached with requests to replace Diljit in his next film. However, speaking to the press, Ali defended the actor and called him “a patriot,” praising his professionalism and integrity.
In an interview with BBC Asian Network, Diljit clarified that the film had been shot earlier this year—well before the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. “The situation was normal at the time. The producers had invested heavily, and I supported their decision to release the film abroad,” he said.
Producer Gunbir Singh Sidhu echoed this view in a separate interview, stating that the film was shot in the UK in February when no restrictions were in place and diplomatic relations were relatively stable. However, he added that, given the current situation, he would avoid casting Pakistani artists in future projects.
