Sardaar Ji 3 team responds to Hania Aamir controversy, halts promotions in India

The makers of Sardaar Ji 3 have broken their silence following intense backlash over the casting of Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in the film.

Actor and producer Diljit Dosanjh has faced mounting criticism on social media, especially after the film’s trailer dropped on June 22.

Amid ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, industry body FWICE even threatened a ban on Dosanjh if the film were to release abroad.

Addressing the controversy, the Sardaar Ji 3 team issued a statement on Instagram on June 24, firmly denying that any Pakistani actor was signed post the attack. “This is to bring to everyone's kind notice that the film named, Sardaarji 3, was shot well before the prevailing situation that our country is facing now and it was never ever the case that any Pakistani artist was signed or was engaged after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam,” the statement read.

They further added, “We stand united with our country and our fellow countrymen during this sensitive time. Considering the same, we had decided not to release the film or any of its promotional content in India until the situation becomes opportune.”

The controversy stems from the revelation of Hania Aamir’s role in the film only during the trailer launch. Though the teaser had been released in India earlier, it did not mention or feature Aamir, keeping her involvement under wraps until now.

Speaking with BBC Asian Network, Diljit Dosanjh explained the timeline and clarified the decision to skip the Indian release. “Jab yeh film bani thi tab situation sab theek tha. We shot this in Feb and then everything was fine. Uske baad, bohut saari badi cheezein humare haath mein nahi hain. Toh producers ne decide kiya ki film obviously ab India mein toh nahi lagegi, toh overseas release karte hain,” he said, noting that producers had already made a substantial financial commitment.

In response to the backlash and strained India-Pakistan relations, including the ban on Pakistani artists, Sardaar Ji 3 will now only see an international release on June 27. The trailer has been geo-blocked in India.

A similar situation earlier affected Fawad Khan’s comeback film Abir Gulaal, which was pulled from Indian release following the Pahalgam attack and the heightened political climate that followed Operation Sindoor.

Despite the controversy, Diljit Dosanjh has continued promoting the film overseas. On Tuesday, he shared a lighthearted Instagram video featuring a food outing in London with his team, captioned, “SARDAAR JI 3 Advance Bookings Open Now Only on Overseas. Releasing 27th JUNE 2025.”