AICWA demands boycott of Diljit Dosanjh over casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in ‘Sardaar Ji 3'
PRESS RELEASE
Date: 23rd June 2025
Issued by: All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA)
AICWA Condemns Inclusion of Pakistani Actress Hania Aamir in Sardar Ji 3
Calls for Boycott of Singer & Producer Diljit Dosanjh
All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly… pic.twitter.com/W2rOhE2jMO
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
5 hours ago
- Economic Times
Diljit Dosanjh cheers ‘Sardaar Ji 3's' global success despite Indian outrage over Pakistani co-star Hania Aamir
Diljit Dosanjh's Instagram stories celebrating Sardar Ji 3's collection overseas. (Screenshots: Instagram) 'Film was shot before tensions escalated': Diljit speaks out FWICE demands Diljit's removal from Border 2 Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh , who has dominated headlines this year with his sold-out concerts and debut at the Met Gala , is now in the spotlight for an entirely different reason. His latest Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3 has run into controversy after Pakistani actress Hania Aamir was revealed as the female lead in the film's trailer. The revelation triggered backlash in India, especially in the aftermath of April's Pahalgam terror attack , prompting the makers to limit the release to overseas markets the domestic stir, Dosanjh appears unfazed, actively celebrating the film's international success and audience response. Sharing Instagram stories of packed theatres and box office numbers from Pakistan and other foreign territories, the actor showed clips of elated crowds cheering, especially when Hania appeared onscreen. One video, originally posted by Universal Cinemas, stated, '12 shows on ultra screens, the largest in the country. The overwhelming response from the audience for Sardaar Ji 3.'According to reports from Box Office India , the film managed to rake in ₹11.03 crore globally within just two days. The opening day saw collections of ₹4.32 crore, with day two witnessing a significant jump to ₹6.71 crore. All the revenue, notably, came from outside an interview with BBC Asian Network, Diljit Dosanjh addressed the criticism regarding the timing and casting of the film. He clarified that the film was completed in February 2025, well before the recent Indo-Pak tensions escalated. 'Jab yeh film bani thi tab situation sab theek tha. We shot this in Feb and then everything was fine,' he said, adding that certain developments were beyond their control. The makers, acknowledging public sentiment in India, chose to release the film internationally in an attempt to recover their investments. 'Even when I signed the film, everything was fine. Now, the situation is not in our hands,' he said, supporting the decision to avoid an Indian backlash has not stopped at Sardaar Ji 3. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has taken a firm stance, urging the producers of the upcoming patriotic film Border 2 to remove Diljit from the project. According to the federation, it is 'unacceptable' to have Dosanjh star in a film that portrays national pride after his association with a film featuring a Pakistani actor. While no response has been received from the film's producers Bhushan Kumar and Nidhi Dutta, FWICE has escalated the matter by appealing to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to revoke permission for the film's scheduled shoot at the National Defence the debate continues, Diljit Dosanjh remains focused on the film's global reception, seemingly unaffected by the calls for boycott or criticism at home. Whether this controversy will impact his future projects, especially one as high-profile as Border 2, remains to be seen.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Diljit Dosanjh cheers ‘Sardaar Ji 3's' global success despite Indian outrage over Pakistani co-star Hania Aamir
Diljit Dosanjh's Instagram stories celebrating Sardar Ji 3's collection overseas. (Screenshots: Instagram) 'Film was shot before tensions escalated': Diljit speaks out FWICE demands Diljit's removal from Border 2 Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh , who has dominated headlines this year with his sold-out concerts and debut at the Met Gala , is now in the spotlight for an entirely different reason. His latest Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3 has run into controversy after Pakistani actress Hania Aamir was revealed as the female lead in the film's trailer. The revelation triggered backlash in India, especially in the aftermath of April's Pahalgam terror attack , prompting the makers to limit the release to overseas markets the domestic stir, Dosanjh appears unfazed, actively celebrating the film's international success and audience response. Sharing Instagram stories of packed theatres and box office numbers from Pakistan and other foreign territories, the actor showed clips of elated crowds cheering, especially when Hania appeared onscreen. One video, originally posted by Universal Cinemas, stated, '12 shows on ultra screens, the largest in the country. The overwhelming response from the audience for Sardaar Ji 3.'According to reports from Box Office India , the film managed to rake in ₹11.03 crore globally within just two days. The opening day saw collections of ₹4.32 crore, with day two witnessing a significant jump to ₹6.71 crore. All the revenue, notably, came from outside an interview with BBC Asian Network, Diljit Dosanjh addressed the criticism regarding the timing and casting of the film. He clarified that the film was completed in February 2025, well before the recent Indo-Pak tensions escalated. 'Jab yeh film bani thi tab situation sab theek tha. We shot this in Feb and then everything was fine,' he said, adding that certain developments were beyond their control. The makers, acknowledging public sentiment in India, chose to release the film internationally in an attempt to recover their investments. 'Even when I signed the film, everything was fine. Now, the situation is not in our hands,' he said, supporting the decision to avoid an Indian backlash has not stopped at Sardaar Ji 3. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has taken a firm stance, urging the producers of the upcoming patriotic film Border 2 to remove Diljit from the project. According to the federation, it is 'unacceptable' to have Dosanjh star in a film that portrays national pride after his association with a film featuring a Pakistani actor. While no response has been received from the film's producers Bhushan Kumar and Nidhi Dutta, FWICE has escalated the matter by appealing to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to revoke permission for the film's scheduled shoot at the National Defence the debate continues, Diljit Dosanjh remains focused on the film's global reception, seemingly unaffected by the calls for boycott or criticism at home. Whether this controversy will impact his future projects, especially one as high-profile as Border 2, remains to be seen.
NDTV
10 hours ago
- NDTV
"Unjust, Irrational": AAP MP Amid Row Over Diljit Dosanjh's Sardaar Ji 3
An Aam Aadmi Party MP has come out in support of Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh amid the ongoing controversy over his film Sardaar Ji 3, featuring Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. Dr Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), termed the backlash against the actor for working with Pakistani actress as "unjust, excessive, and irrational". The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has called for withdrawing Dosanjh's citizenship and banning his music in India. "To question Diljit Dosanjh's patriotism is grossly unfair," said Dr Sahney. "The film was shot long before the unfortunate incident in Pahalgam. Even an Indo-Pak cricket match was held during that period. We should not confuse timelines or motives when making a judgment on someone's actions." Dr Sahney appreciated Diljit's mature and compassionate move not to release the film in Indian cinemas, being sensitive to public opinion. "He has been gracious in deciding not to release the film here. That says a lot about his character and regard for national feelings," said the AAP leader. He also pointed out Diljit's lead role in showcasing Indian culture on the world stage, from Coachella to the Met Gala, stating that the artist wore his identity as a proud Indian and a proud Punjabi. "Rather than demonising him on the basis of disinformation, we should be hailing him as a cultural ambassador," added Dr Sahney. The casting of a Pakistani actress in the film has been criticised, particularly against the backdrop of government's post-attack restrictions on Pakistani artists' involvement in Indian entertainment. Diljit Dosanjh maintains that his movie, Sardaar Ji 3, was finalised much earlier than these geopolitical events. "When the film was made, the situation was fine... This film was shot in February. A lot of things happened after that which are not in our control," Diljit had said earlier. The film body, Federation of Western India Cine Employees, appealed to the government to blacklist Diljit Dosanjh and Sardaar Ji 3 makers. They also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that their passports are revoked, and their citizenship is cancelled.
