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Anupam Kher criticises Diljit Dosanjh over Sardaar Ji 3 controversy: ‘I can’t watch my sister’s sindoor get destroyed in the name of art’

Actor Anupam Kher acknowledged that while Diljit Dosanjh has the right to freedom of speech and expression, he personally wouldn’t have made the same choice

Anupam Kher slams Diljit-Dosanjh

Diljit Dosanjh continues to remain in the spotlight as controversy brews over the casting of Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in his upcoming Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3. Diljit, who also serves as a producer on the film, is under fire for featuring a Pakistani artist at a time when cross-border cultural exchanges remain a sensitive issue in India. Veteran actor Anupam Kher recently weighed in on the matter, telling NDTV that while Diljit has the right to express himself freely, he personally would not have made the same choice.

“It’s his fundamental right. He has full freedom to exercise his right and he should be given freedom to exercise it. I can say from my point of view that maybe I wouldn’t do what he did,” Anupam said. He went on to use an analogy to explain his stance: “I’d say, ‘You slapped my father but you sing very well, you play very good tabla, so you come and perform at my house.’ But I wouldn’t be able to do that. I am not that great. I won’t hit him back, but I won’t give him the right… The rule that I practice at my home, I practice in my country. I am not that great that I could see my family get hit or see my sister’s sindoor get destroyed for art. Those who can do so, they have all the freedom.”

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Recently actor Kangana Ranaut also echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that artists like Diljit should align themselves with the idea of “nation building.” Speaking to Times Now, she said: “I have said enough about these people who are… We need to have a sentiment of nation building. Everybody is a stakeholder. Why don’t we have that sentiment? Why is one Diljit having his own path? Why are our cricketers having their own friendships?”

For those unfamiliar with the controversy, Sardaar Ji 3 features Hania Aamir in a prominent role. Her inclusion has sparked outrage as it comes in the wake of the 2024 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Since the 2016 Uri attack, Indian film bodies have enforced an unofficial ban on Pakistani artists working in Indian productions. As a result of the casting, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has reportedly imposed a ban on Diljit Dosanjh, barring him from participating in Indian film projects. Despite this, the actor is currently shooting for his next film Border 2 and is reportedly in discussions for future projects. In response to the backlash, the makers of Sardaar Ji 3 have stated that the film was shot before the Pahalgam attack and assured that they will refrain from working with Pakistani actors in the future.

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