Diljit Dosanjh has found himself at the centre of a heated industry row after his film Sardaar Ji 3, co-starring Pakistani actress Hania Aamir was released internationally despite a ban on Pakistani talent in Indian cinema. The fallout has now reached his Bollywood collaborations, with Border 2 producer and T-Series head Bhushan Kumar reportedly vowing not to work with Diljit again after this project.
Border 2 Controversy With Diljit Dosanjh Explained
The controversy stems from the aftermath of the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, which led Indian film bodies to reimpose a strict non-cooperation policy toward Pakistani artistes. Though the Sardaar Ji 3 team clarified the film was shot prior to the ban, its release outside India triggered backlash. Diljit’s involvement in Border 2, a patriotic film based on India’s armed forces further complicated matters.
While speculation swirled about whether Diljit might be dropped from the project, he recently posted a video from the set, confirming his ongoing involvement. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has since clarified that their ban on Diljit was temporarily lifted only for Border 2.
FWICE president BN Tiwari told India Today that Bhushan Kumar personally met with the federation twice to explain the dilemma. “He said most of Diljit’s scenes were already shot, and only a song remains. He made it clear he had no way to recast him this late in production, but assured us he wouldn’t work with him again,” Tiwari said.
Bhushan Kumar has reportedly followed through on that promise. “I’ve submitted a formal letter to the federation stating that Diljit will not be part of any future T-Series projects,” he was quoted as saying. Filmmaker and IFTDA president Ashoke Pandit also confirmed that the leniency granted to Diljit is a one-time concession. “This decision was taken in the best interest of the industry. There are no Pakistani actors in Border 2, and given the film’s patriotic theme, we took a balanced call. But our stand against Diljit otherwise remains unchanged,” he said.
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Despite the controversy, Sardaar Ji 3 has made waves at the box office, especially in Pakistan, where it raked in 18 crore globally in its opening weekend nearly 4 crore from Pakistan alone, marking a record for an Indian film.
Meanwhile, Diljit has other big-budget projects lined up, including Imtiaz Ali’s next directorial and No Entry 2 with Boney Kapoor. Whether those projects proceed as planned remains to be seen.
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