WEBDESK: In a major blow to Indian cinema’s credibility, Sardaar Ji 3, a Punjabi language film, has stormed international box offices while being banned in India itself due to the casting of a Pakistani actress.
The film, starring Diljit Dosanjh and Hania Aamir, has made headlines worldwide after entering North America’s Top 12 box office list, overtaking several major Hollywood titles.
$2.76 Million in North America Alone
According to film analytics company Cinemania World, Sardaar Ji 3 earned $751,660 in its second weekend alone, bringing its total North American revenue to an impressive $2.76 million.
Despite competition from big-budget blockbusters like Jurassic World: Rebirth, How to Train Your Dragon, and Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the Punjabi film clinched the 11th spot on the charts a rare feat for any South Asian regional cinema.
Sardaar Ji 3: The Only Punjabi Film in the List
The thing that adds up to the historicity of this achievement is that Sardaar Ji 3 was the only film that was produced in the Punjabi language on the list, and all of the others were Hollywood produced.
Hania Aamir’s Role Triggers India’s Ban
Despite its global success, the film was banned in India due to the inclusion of Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the lead role. The Indian authorities, in line with the Modi government’s increasing hostility towards anything remotely linked to Pakistan, decided to block the film’s release domestically.
This has proved to be a money loss since Indian lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar was not afraid to come out and criticise the move. Talking to NDTV in their Creators Manch, Akhtar added that Pakistan will not lose money when it comes to this misplaced ban, but India will. Why ban it and affect your economy to the hurt? he asked.
The film’s success in the UK, Canada, USA, and even Pakistan further underlines the global appeal of strong storytelling in native languages. For many observers, Sardaar Ji 3 marks the start of a new era where Punjabi cinema and perhaps South Asian cinema in general does not need Bollywood approval or nationalist politics to succeed.
India’s Self-Defeating Strategy
While the film continues to soar globally, India’s ban appears short-sighted and deeply political. It reflects the Modi regime’s tendency to let anti-Pakistan sentiment override cultural growth and economic logic. The result? The Indian audience misses out, while the rest of the world celebrates South Asian storytelling at its best.
