Diljit Dosanjh faces backlash for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in ‘Sardaar Ji 3’

Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh is facing significant criticism on social media following the release of the trailer for his upcoming Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3. The controversy stems from the casting of Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the lead role, a move that has drawn sharp reactions from Indian audiences amid ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.

The trailer, which was shared on Dosanjh’s Instagram on Monday, reveals that the film will release only in overseas markets on June 27. The post was captioned, “Sardaar Ji 3 releasing 27th June OVERSEAS only. FADH LAO BHOOND DIAN LATTAN.”*

Since then, the comments section has been flooded with anger and disappointment. Many users have accused the actor of being insensitive to current geopolitical realities and prioritising cross-border collaborations over national sentiment.

“May we witness the most embarrassing downfall of Diljit Dosanjh in the history of public embarrassments... a kind of downfall that his PR could never salvage,” read one particularly harsh comment on X (formerly Twitter).

Another user, identifying as Punjabi, wrote: “Diljit Dosanjh has started to think he is above all. He never openly stands for the issues of Punjab and is now even betraying his own industry, which gave him this fame.”

One former fan added, “I used to be his fan, but this is unforgivable. And it gives a bad name to us and the Punjab he loves to gloat about.”

The criticism is unfolding against the backdrop of recent security developments, including the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor on May 7, which involved targeted airstrikes on terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Following these incidents, access to many Pakistani celebrities’ social media profiles, including Hania Aamir’s, has been restricted in India. That context has further intensified public outrage over her inclusion in the film.

While Sardaar Ji 3 continues to generate buzz abroad, its absence from Indian YouTube has not gone unnoticed. So far, the trailer remains available only on Dosanjh’s personal Instagram page.

Neither Dosanjh nor the film’s production team has officially responded to the backlash.