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Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Javed Akhtar supports Sardaar Ji 3's release amid controversy, Imtiaz Ali defends Diljit Dosanjh's patriotism: ‘Indian producer would lose money, not Pakistani'
As calls grow louder to halt the release of Sardaar Ji 3, Diljit Dosanjh's upcoming Punjabi film featuring Pakistani actor Hania Aamir, several voices from Bollywood have spoken in defence of the actor and the project. Director Imtiaz Ali and celebrated lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar have both addressed the controversy and shared their perspectives. In an interview with NDTV, Imtiaz Ali, who previously collaborated with Diljit on the film Amar Singh Chamkila, responded to the backlash regarding the actor's association with a Pakistani artiste. 'Look, I can't say much on the matter, but I do know Diljit personally, and I know he has a deep sense of patriotism. He's truly a son of the soil. If you look at his major concerts, he always ends them by waving the Indian flag. And I know for a fact that he's not someone who does anything fake, he's genuine. No one asked him to do all this, but at every concert, he declares 'I am Punjab' and proudly takes India's name. Now, I don't know the full details of the casting process, since actors usually don't make those decisions. But I do know that he has immense love for the country, and those who can see the truth will understand it in a few days.' Also Read | Mika Singh slams 'fake singer' Diljit Dosanjh for working with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir: 'Left fans betrayed and helpless' Veteran writer Javed Akhtar also supported the film's release, calling for a practical and sympathetic view of the situation. 'I don't know when exactly the film was made, but if it was completed before all this happened, what can the poor producer do? How could he have known what was going to happen later? It's his money on the line, Pakistan's money isn't at stake here, it's the Indian producer who will lose out. Laws don't work retrospectively. You can't create a law today and apply it to a situation from ten years ago, that's not practical. Had that poor guy known something like this was going to happen, he wouldn't have cast the actress. I believe the government and censor board should view this matter with sympathy and simply say: 'Please don't repeat this going forward.' It shouldn't happen again.' Sardaar Ji 3 has been at the center of a growing controversy ever since the Pahalgam terror attack in April, after which Indian film associations imposed a blanket ban on Pakistani artists. 'In a previous interview with BBC Asian Network, Diljit Dosanjh addressed the backlash and explained the timeline of the film's production: '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. When it (Pahalgam attack) happened, the producers knew that they can't release this film in India anymore. But, they decided to release it overseas as they have invested a lot of money in the film. They will 100% suffer losses because they are removing an entire territory.' Producer of Sardaar Ji 3, Gunbir Singh Sidhu, earlier told NDTV that the film was shot before the Pahalgam attack and that, at the time, there was no such ban in place. He also spoke about the financial ramifications of Sardaar Ji 3 not getting a release in India, stating that '40 percent of our revenue loss has happened.' In a recent development, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) officially appealed to actor Sunny Deol and filmmaker Imtiaz Ali to sever all professional ties with Diljit Dosanjh over the issue. The organization has taken a firm stance, urging Indian artists and producers to abide by the industry-wide directive against Pakistani collaborations
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sardaar Ji 3 co-producer condemns Pakistani actress Hania Aamir's comments on India's Operation Sindoor: 'She hit below the belt'
Following Hania Aamir's controversial remarks and escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the release of Sardaar Ji 3 in India has been cancelled. Co-producer Gunbir Singh Sidhu revealed the decision was made after the Pahalgam terror attack and India's Operation Sindoor, costing the film approximately 40% of potential revenue. Diljit Dosanjh supports the producer's decision, acknowledging the financial implications. The controversy surrounding Sardaar Ji 3 has intensified following backlash over the casting of Pakistani actress Hania Aamir, especially after her remarks against India's Operation Sindoor . As tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, co-producer Gunbir Singh Sidhu and lead star Diljit Dosanjh have spoken out, addressing the film's skipped India release and the criticism surrounding it. In an interview with NDTV, Sardaar Ji 3 co-producer and White Hill Studios MD Gunbir Singh Sidhu revealed the team's decision to skip an India release came after the Pahalgam terror attack and India's Operation Sindoor. Deeply affected by the situation, the makers chose not to upset national sentiment—despite the financial hit. Gunbir shared that this move cost them nearly 40% of potential revenue. To illustrate, he cited Jatt & Juliet 3 (2024), which earned ₹100 crore globally, with ₹40 crore coming from Indian ticket sales alone. Gunbir Singh Sidhu acknowledged that Hania Aamir's remarks against India were inappropriate, saying she crossed a line and should not have made such comments. While choosing not to elaborate further, he firmly stated that the Sardaar Ji 3 team has now decided to stop working with any Pakistani artists going forward. Addressing the controversy around Sardaar Ji 3, Diljit Dosanjh explained in a conversation with BBC Asian Network that when the film was shot in February, the political situation was stable and there were no issues with the casting. However, with the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, the producers decided to skip the India release and focus on an overseas rollout. Diljit said the decision was beyond their control, acknowledging the financial loss involved, and added that he stands by the producers in this difficult situation.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Hania Aamir hit below the belt': Sardaar Ji 3 co-producer condemns Pak actor's comments about Operation Sindoor
Earlier this year, the makers of Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa's Sardaar Ji 3 completed the shoot of the much-awaited film with a surprise in store for fans — Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in a prominent role. But what most of the country didn't see coming was the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor as its response and crazy tensions between India and Pakistan. When Hania condemned Operation Sindoor as a 'cowardly attack', she was brutally trolled, with netizens hoping that she would be dropped from Sardaar Ji 3. But when the trailer released, she was very much a part of it. It was announced that the film would release overseas including Pakistan, which further angered Indian fans. Sardaar Ji 3's co-producer Gunbir Singh Sidhu (the other co-producer being Diljit) has now opened up about their decision to skip India release as well as Hania's comments against India. Hania Aamir in Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Sardaar Ji 3 In a chat with NDTV on Thursday, Sardaar Ji 3's co-producer and Managing Director of White Hill Studios, Gunbir Singh Sidhu revealed that the team decided not to release the film in India when the makers found out about the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Gunbir explained that this decision was taken as the team was hurt by the incident and did not want to hurt the sentiments of their fellow countrymen. This decision cost the team a loss of roughly 40% of their revenue. Explaining the math behind it, Gunbir shared that his last film with Diljit and Neeru, Jatt & Juliet 3 (2024), was the first Punjabi film to do a business of ₹ 100 crore at the worldwide box office, out of which 40% came from business in India, bringing it to approximately ₹ 40 crore. Admitting that Hania's comments against India were wrong, Gunbir shared, 'I believe that they should not have made such statements. But I cannot comment more than that. But I would say that those things should not have happened and she hit below the belt.' He further stated, 'Now we have taken this decision with full strength that we will not work with any Pakistani artist from now on.' Meanwhile, Diljit commented on Hania's casting in a chat with BBC Asian Network. He claimed, 'Jab yeh film bani thi tab toh situation sab theek tha. Matlab jab yeh humne shoot kiya, February mein... February mein shoot kiya, tab situation theek thi, saara kuchh sahi chal raha tha. Uske baad, dekho bohot saari cheezein, badi cheezein humaare haath mein nahi hai. Toh yeh producers ne decide kiya ki yeh film obviously ab India toh nahi lagegi, toh isko overseas release karte hain. Toh obviously inka bohot paisa laga hua hai, aur jab yeh film ban rahi thi tab aisa kuchh tha nahi. Toh theek hai fir woh already loss, unn logo ke dimaag mein hai ki loss toh hoga hi 100%, kyunki ek territory aap usme minus kar rahe ho. Toh, maine bhi jab film sign ki thi tab toh sab theek tha, toh abhi ab situations humaare haath mein hai nahi. Toh bahar release karna chahte hain, toh main unke saath hun.'
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Sardaar Ji 3 controversy: Neeru Bajwa deletes..., unfollows Hania Aamir; Diljit Dosanjh says...
Sardaar Ji 3 controversy: The much-awaited Punjabi horror-comedy Sardaar Ji 3, starring Diljit Dosanjh, Neeru Bajwa, and Hania Aamir, finds itself in the middle of a heated controversy just a day ahead of its overseas release on June 27. The film, already facing strong backlash for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir amid ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, has now sparked fresh headlines after co-star Neeru Bajwa seemingly distanced herself from the project. Neeru Bajwa has removed all promotional content of Sardaar Ji 3 According to a viral Reddit post shared by the Instagram handle, Bajwa has removed all promotional content related to Sardaar Ji 3 from her Instagram. She also reportedly unfollowed Hania Aamir, although this claim remains unverified. Fans were quick to point out the missing posts, which once included trailers and behind-the-scenes footage. Now, her profile features only updates about her upcoming film Son Of Sardaar 2. Take a look at the Reddit post Here's how users reacted: The move triggered reactions across social media. One user noted, 'I remember Neeru Bajwa being one of the few Punjabi actors who applauded Operation Sindoor and Sofiya Qureshi,' while another added, 'This is brave on Neeru's part! Respect to her!' Some users also mentioned that Bajwa has been receiving hate comments from both Diljit fans and some Pakistani accounts. Here's what Diljit Dosanjh said: While Bajwa remains silent on the issue, Diljit Dosanjh broke his silence in a BBC Asian Network interview. Defending the decision to proceed with the overseas release, he said, 'Jab yeh film bani thi, tab sab theek tha… Producers ka paisa laga hua hai… Film bann chuki thi before tensions started.' He added that it was the producers' call, and financial investments were already locked in. About Sardaar Ji 3 Directed by Amar Hundal, Sardaar Ji 3 is a horror-comedy set in the UK, where ghost hunters, played by Diljit and Hania, investigate a haunted mansion. Despite its star-studded cast and unique genre blend, the film has been pulled from Indian screens due to the rising sentiment post the Pahalgam terror attack. Now restricted to international cinemas, the film's fate—and its cast's reputations—remain under scrutiny as audiences react.
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Guru Randhawa deactivates X account hours after his indirect dig at Diljit Dosanjh
Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa deactivated his X account after he received backlash from the fans of singer-turned-actor Diljit Dosanjh. It all started after Randhawa indirectly called out Diljit on the social media platform over his collaboration with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir and the row surrounding the release of his upcoming film 'Sardaar Ji 3'.Soon after Randhawa's tweet went viral, social media users were quick to remind him that even he had sung a song in the past mentioning a Pakistani city - 'Lagdi Lahore'. While Randhawa's post did not explicitly mention Diljit's name, the social media users were quick to connect the dots. Screenshot of Guru Randhawa's now deactivated account. advertisement"...Even if now your citizenship is not Indian but you were born here, please remember this. This country made great artists and we all are proud of it. Please be proud of where you were born. Just an advice," wrote the 'Lagdi Lahore' singer. This was not the first time Randhawa took a jibe at the 'Sardaar Ji 3' actor. Earlier on June 25, he wrote on X, "When the PR team is more talented than the talent itself, controversies become part of the daily routine. The day is near when our people will open their eyes and know the truth. LOL. 1st of every month, dropping bombs. God bless the fake PR and the artists."While Randhawa refrained from taking names, several social media users speculated that the post was directed towards the growing popularity of the 'Born To Shine' an interview with BBC Asian Network, Diljit recently spoke about the controversy surrounding the film and stated the film was shot back in February when relations between India and Pakistan were normal."Jab yeh film bani thi tab situation sab theek tha. We shot this in February and then everything was fine. (When the film was made, everything was okay. We shot the film in February and everything was fine back then)," he baad, bahut 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. (After that a lot of things happened which are beyond our control. The producer decided that the film will not be released in India, so they could release it overseas. They have invested a lot of money, and when the film was being made, nothing like this was happening)," he added.'Sardaar Ji 3' was released overseas today.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Diljit Singh Dosanjh#Guru Randhawa
