New Delhi: Amid the ban on Diljit Dosanjh’s Sardaar Ji 3 in India, the film opened to packed theatres in Pakistan. According to @pakistanicinemaa, Sardaar Ji 3 collected PKR 3 crore, over Rs 90 lakh, on its opening day, setting a new record for the biggest opening ever by an Indian Punjabi film in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Universal Cinemas, in a video posted on Instagram, showed packed theatres and highlighted the audience’s positive reactions. Dosanjh re-shared the clip on his Instagram Story.
“12 shows on ultra-screens – the largest in the country. Overwhelming response from the audience for Sardaar Ji 3. Come and watch,” read the text accompanying the video.
Dosanjh features in Sardaar Ji 3 alongside Indian-origin Canadian actor Neeru Bajwa, but the backlash from certain organisations in India is due to his other co-star, Pakistani actor Hania Aamir.
After the backlash in India after the release of the trailer, the production decided to stick with the cast and decided to forgo its India release.
“The film’s earnings from Pakistan account for 25 per cent of the total overseas gross on opening day,” wrote @pakistanicinemaa.
Also read: India bans Pakistan-origin content on all OTT platforms
Two-day collection
The two-day collection of Sardaar Ji 3 stands at Rs 11.03 crore. It includes the business done in international markets like the UK, USA, UAE, and Pakistan.
After the opening day figures, Aamir extended love to all her fans in Pakistan via an Instagram post.
“Pakistan, you did not disappoint! I love you <333,” she wrote.
Pakistani screenwriter and actor Yasir Hussain lauded Aamir for bringing Indian stars like Dosanjh, Gulshan Grover, Neeru Bajwa to Pakistan’s cinema instead of the other way around.
Earlier, Dosanjh had defended the casting of Hania Aamir in the film, saying that “everything was fine” between the two countries when they were shooting for the film in February.
“When the film was being made, the situation was OK. After that, there’s been a lot of things… that are not in our hands,” Dosanjh told BBC.
Amid the Sardaar Ji 3 controversy, the Federation of Western lndia Cine Employees (FWICE) has even objected to the casting of Dosanjh in Border 2. In a letter, sent to Border 2 producers on Tuesday, the FWICE said it is “deeply disappointed and concerned” about Dosanjh being part of the movie. Produced by JP Films and T-Series and directed by JP Dutta, Border 2 is a sequel to the 1997 war drama. The sequel also stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Diljit Dosanjh must be sent packing to Pakistan.
Neeru Bajwa’s PIO card must be cancelled.