‘Diljit Dosanjh always promoted Pakistani artists, boycott him from India’: Ashoke Pandit on Sardaar Ji 3 row

Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has found himself in fresh controversy over his latest film, Sardaar Ji 3. Amid this, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit stepped up to comment on the matter. He accused Diljit of ‘always promoting Pakistani actors, singer’ amid tension between the two nations.

Pandit told ANI, "We are appealing to our producer bodies that please don't cast him(Diljit Dosanjh)".

Diljit Dosanjh's latest controversy

Diljit's film landed in trouble ever his the trailer was released. It received backlash on social media over featuring Pakistani actress Hania Aamir.

Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) sent a letter to the Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), to "withhold certification of the Sardaarji 3 containing Pakistani artists."

Ashoke Pandit who serves as the chief advisor of FWICE, said, "Federation of Western India Cine Employees had issued a notice of non-cooperation after the Pulwama attack. All the people will not participate with any Pakistani performer. Be it a producer, a director, a singer or a music director. No craft will involve them. If a technician works with them, it's not only actors or performers, even the technicians will be boycotted. We issued a notice of non-cooperation on the first day of the Pulwama attack. After that, we reiterated all the attacks, that our notice is still valid. We have not changed or withdrawn it. When the trailer of 'Sardaar Ji 3', was released, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees, which is the mother body of 36 crafts, immediately wrote a letter to CBFC and I & B Ministry, that this film should not get a census certificate, and it should not be released here."

"Hopefully, CBFC will agree with us, " he added.

“Because I& B Ministry itself issued a notice, in which they said that if anyone participates with a Pakistani performer, we will not let his things come out. They will not get permission,” the filmmaker continued.

Ashoke Pandit: Diljit Dosanjh always promoted Pakistani performers

He also said, “The matter is very serious, because Diljit Dosanjh is a compulsive, regular lawbreaker, as far as our industry is concerned. He has always promoted Pakistani performers, Pakistani singers, Pakistani actors. He knows the reason. When the industry is appealing to him, and there is no need to appeal to the industry, when it comes to the nation, the integrity of the nation, the internal security of the nation, even then, this person makes the same mistake again and again. We will issue another notice, where we are appealing to our producer bodies, to all the members of the producer association, that please don't cast him, please don't work with him. And apart from this, all the event companies, we are writing to them, that in any of their events, don't let him participate, don't hire his services. It is very important to boycott him from this country…”

Since the 2019 Pulwama attack, FWICE has consistently enforced a blanket ban on Pakistani artists in the Indian film industry.

Meanwhile, Sardaar Ji 3 is set to release worldwide on 27 June.