The Punjabi film industry remains embroiled in the controversy surrounding Sardar Ji 3, the Diljit Dosanjh film that stars Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in a major role. This is in addition to Bollywood’s refusal to cast Pakistani actors in the wake of the 2016 Uri attack.
The movie, which has not yet been released in India, is making a ton of money in Pakistan and elsewhere and has reignited debate about the use of performers from the neighboring nation in Indian Punjabi films.
According to renowned folk musician and former Congress MP Muhammad Sadiq, who opposed cross-border creative partnerships in view of the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, “Art has no boundaries and talent from anywhere should be welcomed.” We must, however, refrain from hiring performers from a country that we don’t get along with and that constantly disparages us,” he stated.
Relationships with Pakistan have always been tense. Nevertheless, artists from both nations continued to work together. However, a lot of Pakistani artists also made negative remarks about our nation following the Pahalgam incident. Thus, it is best to stay away from them. Pakistani performers were no longer cast in Bollywood productions. Sadiq, whose song “Na dil de pardesi nu,” which has been popular since the 1980s, would be in Ranveer Singh’s next movie Dhurandhar, stated, “Therefore, the Punjabi film industry can also do that.”
Popularity is increased by shared language and culture.
“The Punjabi film industry continued casting Pakistani actors, or rather, started featuring them more actively post-2016,” Punjabi singer-music director Ravinder Ranguwal told The Indian Express. Every role that featured performers from Pakistan was filmed abroad.
Industry insiders claim that the shared linguistic and cultural background of Lehnda Punjab (West Punjab in Pakistan) and Charda Punjab (East Punjab in India) is a key factor in this partnership. Films that combine talent from both areas are more widely accepted because Punjabi is spoken in both areas. “Both Punjabs have an inherent appeal due to their shared language and culture, which inevitably boosts commercial success,” Ranguwal continued.
But today, he acknowledged, things could be different. “I don’t think the Punjabi industry will use Pakistani actors in upcoming productions after all the scandals that followed the Pahalgam terror attack. Given the financial implications, films that have already been signed are a very other story,” he remarked.
Although the mutual language and business possibilities of these partnerships have been important drivers, more people are now calling on the Punjabi industry to emulate Bollywood and phase out Pakistani performers completely. In Pakistan, many people watch Hindi movies as well. According to a Punjabi industry source, Punjabi cinema may develop with indigenous talent if Bollywood can prosper without using Pakistani actors.
Overshadowing the forthcoming release
One of the best examples of this collaborative movement is the Chal Mera Putt franchise. Pakistani actors Iftikhar Thakur, Nasir Chinyoti, and Akram Udas played important parts in the first installment, which was a box office success when it was released in 2019. Chal Mera Putt 2 (2020) and Chal Mera Putt 3 (2021) followed its success, showcasing even more Pakistani talent and garnering immense popularity, especially among the Punjabi diaspora in both nations and beyond.
Despite an indication earlier this year that Chal Mera Putt 4 will be released in August, the directors have not yet revealed if the cast has changed in response to increased scrutiny of cross-border partnerships.
In addition to this franchise, Pakistani actors have played important parts in a number of other Punjabi movies released in recent years, such as Maa Da Ladla, Honeymoon, and Carry on Jatta 3. In fact, combining artists from Punjab’s two sides has practically become the industry standard in the previous four to five years.
There are now worries that Chal Mera Putt 3 may suffer the same fate as Sardar Ji 3, which may not be released in India because of its Pakistani cast. According to reports, there is an even larger cast of Pakistani actors in the film than in Dosanjh.
One of the most well-known Pakistani comedians in cross-border Punjabi films, Iftikhar Thakur, was accused of making offensive comments about India after the Pahalgam incident, which sparked a new round of condemnation. Punjab is full of talented people. Ranguwal had previously stated, “We don’t necessarily need to rely on Pakistani actors to make successful films.”
