Sardaar Ji 3 gets overwhelming love in Pakistan, Diljit shares audience reactions
Despite being denied a theatrical release in India, Diljit Dosanjh's 'Sardaar Ji 3' is witnessing massive success across the border. The film, which released internationally on June 27, 2025, has gone houseful in cinemas across Pakistan. On Friday, Pakistan-based theatre Cinegold Plex shared a video showing packed shows for the film, and Diljit later reposted a clip from Universal Cinemas highlighting the audience's enthusiastic response.advertisementDiljit Dosanjh shared the reel on Instagram, which featured cheering crowds and read, "12 shows on ultra screens. The largest in the country. The overwhelming response from the audience for 'Sardaar Ji 3'. Come and watch!"The horror-comedy's strong opening comes despite the backlash over Diljit's decision to co-star with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir, a casting choice that sparked controversy amid rising India-Pakistan tensions.
Watch the video here: The comedy-action film 'Sardaar Ji 3' has reportedly achieved a record-breaking opening in Pakistan, earning an estimated $500,000 on its first day. It now holds the title for the highest-ever opening for an Indian film in Pakistan, surpassing previous records set by Bollywood hits like 'Sultan'.Globally, 'Sardaar Ji 3' ranks as the third-best opening day for a Punjabi film, trailing only 'Jatt & Juliet 3' and 'Carry On Jatta'. Industry experts expect even stronger numbers over the weekend, as the film released on a high-footfall Friday.advertisementThe situation between India and Pakistan intensified after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, leading the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) to urge the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to block the film's release in India. Responding to the outcry, the producers opted to release 'Sardaar Ji 3' overseas only.Speaking to BBC Asian Network, Diljit broke his silence on the matter. '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 were 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," he said. He further explained that the producers were aware of the potential financial loss from removing an entire territory like India. At the time he signed the film, everything was normal, but the situation has since changed and is now beyond their control. He added that if the producers chose to release the film internationally, he fully supports their decision.- EndsMust Watch
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Time of India
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- 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.
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