Naseeruddin Shah, on Tuesday morning, deleted the post he had made in support of Diljit Dosanjh amid the Sardaar Ji 3 row of working with Pakistani actress Hania Amir and the film releasing in India. Here’s everything that happened.
Naseeruddin Shah voiced support for singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh, who is facing backlash for his involvement in Sardaar Ji 3. On Monday, Shah posted on Facebook, condemning the criticism directed at Dosanjh. “I STAND FIRMLY WITH DILJIT. The dirty tricks deptt of Jumla Party has been awaiting a chance to attack him. They think they’ve got it at last. He was not responsible for the casting of the film, the director was,” he wrote.
He went on to highlight that Dosanjh’s global popularity has made him a convenient target. “But no one knows who he is whereas Diljit is known the world over, and he agreed to the cast because his mind is not poisoned. What these goons want is to put an end to personal interaction between the people of India and Pakistan. I have close relatives and some dear friends there and no one can stop me from meeting them or sending them love whenever I feel like it,” Shah added.
Here’s a screenshot of the post:
The controversy stems from the release of Sardaar Ji 3, which hit international screens on June 27 but did not see a release in India. The casting of Hania Aamir in the cast has drawn sharp criticism, prompting calls for boycotts.
Following the release of the film’s trailer, organisations such as the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) have demanded a ban on Dosanjh and all of his upcoming projects. Adding to the pressure, singer Mika Singh has publicly stated that Dosanjh should issue an apology.
This outrage stems from the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed several lives.