Diljit lauds Hania, slams Bollywood

By now, the memory of Abir Gulaal, touted as heartthrob Fawad Khan’s Bollywood comeback, is dead and buried amid the settling dust of last month’s ceasefire between Pakistan and India. Fawad’s Bollywood re-entry, having been built up into an extravagant cross-border romance, has been parked firmly into a corner. Rushing to fill the vacuum, we have the true-to-herself fresh-faced Hania Aamir stepping behind the camera alongside Punjabi hitmaker Diljit Dosanjh, shaking things up in the upcoming Sardaar Ji 3, heading to cinemas on June 27.

Unless, that is, you are a cinema-goer in India. Across the border, where Pakistani artists continue to be tainted by association, Sardaar Ji has been definitively banned in theatres – not that any of this has bothered the film’s star Diljit, who outlined his feelings on both Hania and the Indian ban in no uncertain terms during a recent interview with Haroon Rashid on the BBC Asian Network.

Maintaining a respectful distance between himself and his female co-stars, the actor-singer had nothing but warm words for the professionalism displayed by Hania on set as the pair worked together in the film.

“My experience with Hania was very good,” stated Diljit in a short but sweet commendation. “She was professional when we were working. We didn’t have that much time together, though.”

For her part, Hania is known for not allowing geopolitical tensions between governments to get in the way of budding friendships with Indian artists. Her friendship with rapper Badshah serves as a prime example of this accepting trait. Moreover, returning to Sardaar Ji 3, this is not the first time the Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum star has crossed paths with the Punjabi singer. Last October, Hania – then a mere member of the crowd – joined Diljit on stage at his own invitation during a packed London concert, to the delight of both herself and fans around the world.

As for Diljit, the man remains true to both his art and dedicated to maintaining a respectful distance between himself and his female colleagues – despite having appeared onscreen together with fellow Sardaar Ji 3 star Neeru Bajwa no less than seven times (rivalling the romantic pairing between Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol during the ’90s).

“I respect everyone’s privacy,” maintained Diljit. “I myself am very private and give everyone their space – especially women. We should give them even more space.” In case anyone was left with any lingering doubts, the actor confirmed, “I am not the way I am in films.”

Viewers in India may not be getting the chance to see Diljit in this particular film after the offering has been blocked in his country, but it is a decision about which the Indian actor has no hard feelings.

“When this film was being made, the [political] situation was fine,” mused Diljit, adopting the sanguine, accepting tone of one picking their battles. “When we shot this film in February, everything was fine. But a lot of big things are not in our hands.”

As readers will have surmised, Diljit was referring to the Pakistan-India military tension that escalated in the wake of a terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April. This was the incident that cemented Fawad’s ban and the ultimate shelving of Abir Gulaal – but fortunately for film fans, Sardaar Ji, despite a similar cross-border cast, appears to have escaped such a fate.

“The producers decided that obviously this film could not be released in India, so we would be releasing it overseas,” elaborated Diljit. Acknowledging that such a move would inevitably result in a financial loss, he added, “Obviously, they have lost a lot of money with such a decision. Yes, there will be a loss, because you are removing one whole territory. We do have this in our minds. But the situation is out of our hands, and [they producers] have my full support.”

The producers may be blessed with Diljit’s support, but closer to home here in Pakistan, Diljit himself has VJ and self-proclaimed supporter of artists’ rights Anoushey Ashraf in his corner. Taking to Instagram Stories to denounce Indian authorities’ decision to block the film due to the presence of a Pakistani actor, Anoushey wrote, “Imagine being more offended by art than by hatred dividing people.”

Commenting on how a political stance should be unconnected with creating art, Anoushey continued, “Punishing your own for working with our actors says more about your insecurity than your patriotism. For you, everyone’s a pawn in petty politics. Please don’t embarrass yourself further. The hate is clear; it’s also boring now.

Addressing her Indian community as she lamented the fraught state of affairs in the cross-border entertainment industry, the VJ noted that there could be no change on the horizon as long as those in political power continued to make decisions impacting art. “To all my Indian friends, am so sorry it’s come down to this,” she shared. “We’ve seen better times, but until this hateful government of yours lasts, our shared goodness is going to be on the back burner.”

To back up her point, Anoushey took the chance to post a reel of Diljit on Stories where the Punjabi star insists he has no interest in Bollywood per se. “I don’t even want to work in Bollywood,” the actor can be seen remarking in the video. “My love is for music, and I can create that without any one else’s permission.”

Lauding Diljit’s commitment to his work, Anoushey’s caption said it all. “We should release his movie in Pakistan,” commented the Pakistani VJ. “His nationality is artistry. Really beyond limitations!”

Whether or not the Diljit-and-Hania-collaboration enthrals viewers for its artistry remains to be seen – but the Indian star has won hearts across the border for his commitment to his art in defiance of his government’s stance.