Amid surging anti-Pakistan sentiment after the Pahalgam terror attack, singer Mika Singh has called out Diljit Dosanjh for releasing Sardaar Ji 3 internationally, citing “national dignity” over creative choices.
By PC Bureau
New Delhi | June 25, 2025–Singer Mika Singh has lashed out at Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh over the release of Sardaar Ji 3, which features Pakistani actress Hania Aamir and is set for an international release later this week. The controversy follows the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 10 Indian soldiers and reignited anti-Pakistan sentiment across India.
While Diljit has maintained that the film was shot months before the attack and that the decision to skip the Indian release was made out of sensitivity to current public mood, Mika Singh took to Instagram on Tuesday night to call out what he described as “irresponsible behaviour” by unnamed artists. The post featured a collage of Mika and Diljit and included the caption “Desh Pehle (Nation First),” leaving little doubt about who the message was aimed at.
“Guys, as we all know, the relationship between India and Pakistan isn’t going well right now. Yet some people continue to act irresponsibly,” Mika wrote. “Before releasing any content that involves artists from across the border, they should think twice—especially when our nation’s dignity is involved.”
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The singer also appeared to criticize Dosanjh’s recent Dil-Luminati India tour, alleging that the artist “did 10 shows in India with thousands of fans buying tickets” and then “disappeared,” calling him a “fake singer” and suggesting fans had been “betrayed and left helpless.”
Dosanjh Responds to Backlash Over Casting Pakistani Actress https://t.co/fUlKecQcM2 #SardaarJi3 #DiljitDosanjh #HaniaAamir #IndoPakTensions #BollywoodBan #FWICE #CulturalBoycott
— Navin Upadhyay (@Navinupadhya) June 24, 2025
The backlash erupted after the trailer for Sardaar Ji 3 was released online on June 22. While Hania Aamir’s role was kept under wraps in earlier teasers, the full trailer confirmed her as one of the leads. The revelation sparked anger on social media, with users and some industry figures accusing the filmmakers of being tone-deaf during a time of national grief.
In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) had urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to deny clearance to any film involving Pakistani artists. Sardaar Ji 3 was never formally submitted for Indian release, and its distribution has now been restricted to overseas markets, where it is set to release on June 27.
This isn’t the first time Bollywood has found itself at the centre of an Indo-Pak controversy. Similar criticism was levelled at films starring Pakistani actors like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan following past cross-border conflicts. Fawad Khan’s anticipated comeback film Abir Gulaal was indefinitely shelved in India earlier this year due to diplomatic tensions.
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Diljit, who has yet to respond to Mika’s remarks, previously defended the film’s overseas release in an interview, stating: “We shot this in February when the situation was stable. A lot changed that was beyond our control. Since an Indian release is not viable now, the producers have decided on an overseas release. I fully support that decision.”
Despite the mounting backlash, some voices in the entertainment industry have urged restraint and pointed to Diljit’s track record of bringing Punjabi culture to a global audience. Others, however, argue that the timing of the release and the inclusion of Pakistani actors sends the wrong message.
With Sardaar Ji 3 preparing for its global launch, the debate continues over where the line should be drawn between art and nationalism—and whether entertainers must also serve as cultural diplomats in times of crisis.
