Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann supports release of Diljit Dosanjh's Sardaar Ji 3 with Pakistan's Hania Aamir: 'Don’t play these games with us, we are...'

For the past few weeks, singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh has been grabbing headlines for his recently released film, Sardaarji 3, co-starring Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. Due to the presence of a Pakistani artist in Sardaarji 3, Diljit Dosanjh's film was banned from release in India, despite performing impressively overseas. There were also calls to put a ban on Dijit Dosanjh's casting in Indian films, especially his upcoming movie, Border 2, also starring Sunny Deol. Amid this, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has come out in support of the singer and actor, saying that the movie has been unnecessarily banned in the country. 

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann comes out in support of Diljit Dosanjh 

In the state assembly on Friday, Bhagwant Mann, the CM of Punjab, stated, "You cannot issue us certificates of patriotism." The CM also criticised PM Narendra Modi's Pakistan visit and said, "We (India and Pakistan’s Punjab provinces) have a shared culture. We have the same language. They speak Punjabi, as do we. Yet you say Diljit’s movie cannot be released here; you call him a ‘gaddar’ (traitor). Sometimes you call him ‘gaddar’, at other times you call him ‘sardar’." 

Bhagwant Mann stated that the film was shot way before the Pahalgam attacks took place, and hence, it was unnecessary to ban the release of Diljit Dosanjh's Sardaar Ji 3 with Hania Aamir. "It’s strange that you think you can issue us certificates of patriotism! Please, don’t play these games with us. We are fed up," he said.

What did Diljit Dosanjh say about casting Hania Aamir in Sardaar Ji 3?

Earlier, Diljit Dosanjh had defended his decision to release Sardaar Ji 3 in the overseas territories amid the controversy. The film’s producers are already facing losses as the film won’t come out in India due to a ban on Pakistani artists, and in such a scenario, it is justified to release it overseas, he had added.

“When this film was made, the situation was fine. We shot it in February, and everything was going well at that time. Look, there are a lot of things, big things, that are not in our control. So the producers decided that obviously, now this film won’t release in India, so let’s release it overseas,” Dosanjh had said, adding, "Now the situation is not in our hands. So if the producers want to release it abroad, I support them."

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