By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and a host of Punjabi film and music industry figures have come out strongly in support of actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh, after film industry bodies labelled him a "traitor" for starring alongside Pakistani actress Hania Amir in the upcoming film Sardarji 3.
Reacting to the backlash, SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said Diljit was being unfairly targeted because he is a Punjabi and a turbaned Sikh artist. “It is unfortunate that minority artists are being vilified in this manner. Diljit is promoting Punjabi culture globally. He is not the producer of the film, and the shooting was completed long before the Pehalgam terror attack, ” Grewal said.
The row began after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) objected to the presence of a Pakistani actor in the film. FWICE president B.N. Tiwari even threatened to ban Diljit and the producers, claiming they would urge the producers of Border 2, in which Diljit stars alongside Sunny Deol, to drop him from the cast.
IFTDA president Ashok Pandit echoed the sentiment, calling for a nationwide boycott of Diljit by film studios and music labels. “We will appeal to every producer to stop working with him, ” Pandit stated.
However, members of the creative community and Punjabi public figures pushed back against the growing calls for censorship and exclusion.
Veteran actor Nirmal Rishi pointed out that the film was shot well before the Pehalgam incident and Diljit cannot be held responsible for casting decisions. “Pakistani artists have acted in Indian films in the past. Diljit is not anti-national. Artists are citizens of the world, ” she added.
Prominent Punjabi actress Sukhi Brar said calling Diljit a traitor was deeply offensive and unacceptable. “The federations should sit across the table and resolve the issue instead of launching a witch-hunt. People of Punjab won’t tolerate this conspiracy against Diljit, ” she said, urging Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to intervene and consider legal action for defamation.
Legendary folk singer and former MP Mohammed Saddique also voiced his support, saying artists are “beyond borders.” “If Diljit had made any anti-India remark, we could question him. But this attack on him is politically motivated. The film was shot long before the Pehalgam attack. This kind of atmosphere started only after the BJP came to power, ” he said.
Director Onir, who is associated with the film, slammed the outrage, stating on social media, “Fools just need a reason to troll, especially when the artist is not from the majority community. They don’t understand filmmaking timelines. The film was shot much before the attack.”
Punjabi actor Kartar Cheema highlighted the financial strain on producers now caught in the controversy. “Filmmaking involves huge investments. The government should support producers affected due to unforeseen circumstances like this. Who will compensate for these losses?” he asked.
Though Diljit himself has remained silent on the current controversy, in a recent interview with Panos Panay, president of the Grammy Recording Academy, he said:
“Countries are at war and we don’t control that. But I believe music is something that unites nations.”
Meanwhile, Sardarji 3 will not be released in India due to the backlash. The film is expected to premiere in international markets instead.
As political pressure and creative voices continue to clash, the Diljit Dosanjh controversy has once again reignited the debate over cross-border collaborations, freedom of expression, and rising intolerance in Indian cinema.