Diljit Dosanjh breaks silence on Sardaarji 3 skipping India release: ‘Bahut saari cheezein humare haath mein nahi hai’

Diljit Dosanjh has finally broken his silence on his film Sardaarji 3 starring Hania Aamir and why it is not releasing in India.

After the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which took the lives of 26 civilians, Pakistani artistes were banned from working in India. However, actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh is now facing backlash and being criticised for working with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in Sardaarji 3. Amid the tensions between India and Pakistan, the makers of the film decided to release it only internationally. In an interview with BBC Asian Network, Diljit finally broke his silence on the matter.

Diljit Dosanjh and Hania Aamir's still from Sardaarji 3.

Diljit Dosanjh on Sardaarji 3 not releasing in India

Talking about the decision to release Sardaarji 3 internationally and not in India, Diljit said, "Jab yeh film bani thi tab situation sab theek tha. We shot this in Feb 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."

Diljit Dosanjh on working with Hania Aamir

He further talked about his experience working with Hania in the film and said, "Very good. She’s very professional. I really respect her work and her privacy. I’m also a very private person myself and I give everyone their space, especially women. To the point hi baat hoti hai zayada kuch nahi (Conversations are to the point, nothing more)."

Soon after the Sardaarji 3 trailer was released, many people were disappointed to see Diljit working with Hania. The actor is currently facing boycott calls, with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) calling for a ban on him. In an interview with Hindustan Times, FWICE President BN Tiwari expressed his discontent over Diljit’s collaboration with Hania and said, “By working with a Pakistani actor, Diljit has hurt Indian sentiments. He has disrespected the sentiments of the nation and insulted the sacrifice of our brave soldiers. His preference for Pakistani talent over Indian artists raises serious questions about his loyalty and priorities. By collaborating with a Pakistani actor, Diljit has hurt Indian sentiments, disrespected the nation, and insulted the sacrifices of our brave soldiers."

He added, “We have heard that the film is not being released in India. But if they plan to release it, we will ban it. For now, they are releasing overseas only. That being said, Diljit working with a Pakistani actor is something we are not ready to overlook. We have called for a strict ban on all upcoming films, songs or any other sort of projects. We will also issue a formal letter on the same today. Along with Diljit, we have also called for a ban on the producers of the film regarding all their upcoming films.”

About Sardaar Ji 3

Sardaar Ji 3 stars Diljit alongside Hania and Neeru Bajwa, along with Manav Vij, Gulshan Grover, Jasmin Bajwa, and Sapna Pabbi in key roles. The film will see Hania joining Diljit’s character as a ghost hunter tasked with removing a spirit from a mansion in the United Kingdom. The film is scheduled to release overseas on 27 June.