Veteran Indian screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Diljit Dosanjh's upcoming Punjabi film, Sardaar Ji 3, which features Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. The film has faced backlash and calls for a ban in India due to heightened tensions between the two countries following the Pahalgam attack earlier this year.
Akhtar addressed the issue during a conversation with NDTV Creators Manch, questioning the fairness of criticizing Dosanjh for working with a Pakistani actor. He pointed out that the film was shot prior to the recent escalation in tensions. He stated that banning the film would only hurt Indian stakeholders, remarking, "Iss mein Pakistani aadmi ka paisa toh nahi doobega, Hindustani ka paisa doobega. Toh phir kya faayda?" which translates to "The Pakistani man's money won't be lost in this, it's the Indian's money that will be lost. So what's the point?"
Akhtar suggested the Censor Board and the government should adopt a more sympathetic approach, acknowledging that Dosanjh could not have foreseen the future circumstances when he cast Aamir. He proposed allowing the film's release with a warning against repeating such collaborations in the future. "I think the government and the censor board should look at the situation with a little sympathy and say that don't do this again, but since you made this film before, then release it. But it should not happen again," he said.
The Sardaar Ji 3 controversy erupted after the film's trailer was released on June 22nd, revealing Hania Aamir's presence. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has been particularly vocal, urging Imtiaz Ali to sever ties with Dosanjh and appealing to the government to blacklist the actor and the film's producers. They even went as far as requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revoke Dosanjh's passport and cancel his Indian citizenship.
Amidst the controversy, the makers of Sardaar Ji 3 have decided to release the film worldwide, excluding India. According to a producer, this decision was made to avoid hurting the sentiments of the Indian people after the Pahalgam attack. While the film will miss out on approximately 40% of its potential revenue from the Indian market, the producers felt it was the right course of action.
Adding to the turmoil, there were reports that Diljit Dosanjh had been dropped from Border 2, the sequel to the 1997 war film, due to the Sardaar Ji 3 controversy. However, sources close to the production have confirmed that he remains a part of the project and has already completed 50% of his scenes.
Even singer Mika Singh initially criticized Dosanjh for including Hania Aamir in the film but later softened his stance, urging the actor to apologize and remove the objectionable scenes. He suggested that the industry would be willing to forgive him if he took these steps.
The situation surrounding Sardaar Ji 3 highlights the complex intersection of politics, national sentiment, and the entertainment industry. Javed Akhtar's perspective offers a pragmatic approach, emphasizing the financial implications for Indian stakeholders and advocating for a balanced resolution. While the film will not be released in India, the controversy has sparked a broader conversation about the role of Pakistani artists in Indian cinema and the challenges of navigating cross-border collaborations in times of political tension.
