As discussions surrounding the Sardaar Ji 3 controversy seem to be taking place everywhere, where celebrities have been sharing their opinions and weighing how it all was dealt with, Bollywood filmmaker Kabir Khan has come out in support of Diljit Dosanjh. For those who don’t know, the Punjabi musician and actor faced severe backlash for working with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the film and releasing it despite the outrage over the horrific Pahalgam terror attack.
Sharing his take on the controversy, while talking with NDTV, Khan defended Diljit and his decision to work with Hania. He clarified that the casting of the film was finalised long before the tragic events of April 2025. Quoted by the Free Press Journal, he said, “It was a decision that was taken ages ago. By the time things changed, the film had already been shot. So it’s probably unfair to target. My views on things like censorship and banning are very different. One should be a little more liberated.”
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The Bajrangi Bhaijaan director went on to add that art shouldn’t be judged through a political lens as people aren’t purposely making films to hurt others’ sentiments. Calling the incident unfortunate, he added, “With anything to do with art. I don’t think anybody is doing or making any film just to hurt people’s sentiments or create hate and controversy. It’s unfortunate.”
Since the film wasn’t released in India, due to the country’s ongoing enmity with Pakistan, Kabir feels that it became a casualty of political crossfire. “Sometimes films get stuck and get in the middle of politics, and then they lose out on audiences. They lose out on a good release,” he said. During the same interview, the filmmaker also praised the musician’s contribution towards cinema and music.
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“Diljit’s film is doing well in Pakistan, like you mentioned. He is one of the most respected actors and stars of this country and has always done very good work. We also know how proud he is as an Indian. He has been an International icon,” Khan concluded.
Directed by Amar Hundal, Sardaar Ji 3 is written by Rakesh Dhawan. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh and Hania Aamir in leading roles as Neeru Bajwa, Jasmin Bajwa, Manav Vij, and Gulshan Grover among others in pivotal roles. Dosanjh has also co-produced the film alongside Gunbir Singh Sidhu and Manmord Sidhu. The film released internationally on June 27, 2025 and became one of the highest-grossing Punjabi films of the year.