New Delhi — While Diljit Dosanjh’s latest cinematic offering Sardaar Ji 3 wins hearts and breaks records across international markets, Indian audiences remain barred from watching the film. Released globally on June 27, the horror-comedy has not only become the highest-grossing Punjabi-language film overseas but also achieved a landmark opening in Pakistan, outpacing all other Indian films this year. Despite this global celebration, the film has not received certification from Indian authorities, effectively banning it from theaters and streaming platforms in its own country.
The controversy began not with the content of the film but with the casting decision. Pakistani actress Hania Aamir plays the female lead in the film, a fact that might have been considered a soft gesture of cultural diplomacy under different geopolitical conditions. However, the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, blamed on militants operating from Pakistan, altered the atmosphere drastically. The timing of the film’s promotional campaign, which included trailers prominently featuring Aamir, ignited a political backlash across India.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has so far withheld clearance for Sardaar Ji 3. In tandem, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) issued demands to bar the film entirely. Their position was echoed by numerous right-wing cultural commentators who accused Dosanjh of disrespecting national sentiment. As a result, the film’s trailer remains geo-blocked in India, although a sanitized teaser that omits Aamir continues to circulate online.
Public figures across the Indian entertainment industry weighed in. Actor Amit Sial condemned the decision to collaborate with Pakistani talent, stating he would not have taken such a role under current circumstances. Meanwhile, Anupam Kher offered a more emotional response, asserting that no form of art was worth compromising the dignity of Indian families affected by terror. These reactions added pressure to industry regulators already under scrutiny for permitting “unpatriotic” content.
Meanwhile, international reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Audiences in Canada, the UK, Australia, and the Middle East have flocked to cinemas, with packed shows and critical acclaim. In Pakistan, the film opened to sold-out theaters and has been hailed as a cultural triumph. Global critics have praised the film’s visual language, comedic timing, and emotional depth, marking it as one of the most successful Indian regional exports in years.
The controversy surrounding Sardaar Ji 3 now sits at the intersection of nationalism, censorship, and cross-border artistic exchange. The silence in Indian cinemas speaks volumes, not about the film’s quality, but about the hardening borders around creative collaboration. For Indian viewers, the ban serves as yet another reminder of how state control over culture can isolate them from global cultural dialogues they helped inspire.
According to Al Jazeera, the film’s Indian ban has inadvertently amplified its international success. The outlet noted that while Indian authorities silenced the film domestically, global audiences embraced its cross-cultural narrative and artistic merit. The report highlighted how Dosanjh’s overseas audience grew exponentially in the absence of an Indian release, marking a rare case where censorship acted as a marketing catalyst for the global Punjabi diaspora.
The backlash against Hania Aamir’s role in Sardaar Ji 3 underscored the fragile and often reactionary nature of India-Pakistan cultural diplomacy. The article explored how the inclusion of a Pakistani actress in a major Indian production, which would have been seen as a progressive move in another context, was vilified as “anti-national.” The Guardian argued that this reaction sets a dangerous precedent, where national identity is weaponized to restrict creative choices and punish transnational collaboration.
Featured strong reactions from senior industry veterans. Actor Anupam Kher gave an emotionally charged interview where he criticized Dosanjh’s casting decision, suggesting it dishonored families who lost loved ones in the Pahalgam attack. The Times also cited Amit Sial’s remarks, in which he warned artists to be “more aware” of national sentiment when choosing their collaborators, especially when dealing with countries linked to acts of terror.
As reported by Economic Times, the film’s international performance has defied expectations. The outlet confirmed that Sardaar Ji 3 not only grossed over ₹60 crore overseas within ten days but also achieved the third-highest international debut for any Punjabi-language film to date. This financial success has fueled debate over the commercial cost of censorship, with some analysts estimating that banning the film in India could have cost it 35 to 40 percent in additional box-office revenue.
The Pakistani newspaper Daily Times emphasized the emotional and symbolic significance of the film’s release in Pakistan. The publication described how fans flocked to theaters in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, treating the film as more than entertainment, a cultural event that pushed back against India’s effort to erase it. It cited Sardaar Ji 3 as proof that audiences, when given the chance, choose connection over division.
