Sardaarji 3 Producer Defends Hania Aamir's Casting: ‘Shot Before India-Pak Conflict'
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Diljit Dosanjh faces backlash for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in Sardaar Ji 3, which won't release in India due to tensions.
Diljit Dosanjh is facing criticism for featuring opposite Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in his upcoming Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3. The trailer, which dropped on June 22, 2025, revealed that the movie won't release in India and will instead premiere overseas due to current India-Pakistan tensions. Many fans were upset with Hania's casting, especially after her alleged comments following Operation Sindoor. Social media users called Diljit 'insensitive" and 'shameless" for including her in the film.
Reacting to the backlash, the film's producer Gunbir Singh Sidhu defended it. He told India Today, 'The film was shot before the conflict with Pakistan. Keeping sentiments on Indian in mind, no India release for the movie."
The trailer for Sardaar Ji 3 is currently not accessible on YouTube in India. Viewers trying to watch it are met with a message that reads: 'The uploader has not made this video available in your country." This appears to be in line with the film's decision to skip an India release due to ongoing tensions, as confirmed by the producers.
Diljit's casting alongside popular Pakistani actor Hania Aamir (as well as Nasir Chinyoti, Daniel Khawar and Saleem Albela) ahead of an India release is stirring a big controversy ahead of its June 27 release. Sharing the trailer on social media, Diljit clarified that it is releasing overseas only. He wrote, 'Sardaar Ji 3 Releasing 27th June OVERSEAS Only FADH LAO BHOOND DIAN LATTAN."
On June 11, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) called on the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to deny certification to Sardaar Ji 3 over the casting of Pakistani actors. Alongside Hania Aamir, the film also features Pakistani artistes Nasir Chinyoti, Daniel Khawar, and Saleem Albela. Following the request and growing controversy, the makers appear to have decided to forgo a theatrical release in India and instead release the film only in overseas markets to avoid further hurdles.
Hania Aamir's Instagram handle is also currently inaccessible in India, likely due to the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. She had reportedly made anti-India remarks in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor — the military operation launched by India on May 7, targeting nine terror launch pads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The mission was carried out in response to the deadly terror attack on Indian soldiers in Pahalgam.
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