It's confirmed: Hania Aamir stars in Sardaar Ji 3 despite Pakistan-India tensions

Pakistani actress Hania Aamir has officially confirmed her role in the upcoming Indian Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3, putting to rest weeks of speculation about her possible removal from the project amid diplomatic and military tensions between the governments in Islamabad and New Delhi. 

The "Sardaar Ji" franchise, headlined by Indian singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh, is widely popular among Punjabi audiences. With its third instalment slated for release on July 27, many fans were uncertain whether Hania would remain part of the cast after calls to ban Pakistani artists from Indian entertainment projects resurfaced in the wake of the recent armed conflict between the two nations.

The 87-hour military confrontation, which unfolded in May, was sparked by unprovoked missile strikes by India on its territory. In response, the Pakistan Army launched a retaliatory operation codenamed Bunyan-um-Marsoos (Iron Wall), which saw the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) down at least six Indian fighter jets, including several French-made Rafale aircraft. 

The military standoff cast a shadow over two high-profile Indo-Pakistani film collaborations, one of which was Sardaar Ji 3, with Hania at its centre. 

A collaboration between Hania and Diljit first sparked interest when she was spotted at his concert in London last year, where he invited her on stage and praised her publicly. Soon after, reports surfaced that she would star alongside him in the next instalment of his popular Sardaar Ji film series.

Rumours began to circulate that Hania had been quietly dropped from the movie due to pressure from Indian right-wing groups and film bodies demanding a boycott of Pakistani talent.

Fuelling speculation further was the complete silence from both the stars during the controversy.

However, fans recently spotted Hania in a behind-the-scenes image shared by the Ik Kudi singer, where he wore a T-shirt with a woman's face that many believed resembled Hania.

That cryptic image renewed hope among her followers.

Hania finally confirmed her role by sharing the official trailer of Sardaar Ji 3, which features her alongside Diljit and Neeru Bajwa.

The Hass Hass singer, who had been posting other trailers and song-release announcements, also shared the latest trailer featuring Hania, which revealed that Sardaar Ji 3 would not be released in Indian cinemas.

Instead, the film will have an overseas-only release, a strategic move reportedly made to avoid political and regulatory roadblocks while retaining Hania in the cast.

Hania's fans and friends from the Pakistani entertainment industry welcomed the announcement and cheered for the Parde Mein Rehne Do star. 

The congratulatory messages included Mahira Khan, Mehwish Hayat, Zara Noor Abbas and social media influencer Adnan Zafar aka Ken Doll. 

There was also a special post by actor-turned producer, Yasir Hussain, who highlighted the significance of Hania's retention amid the cross-border conflict.

"Many actors have worked in Indian movies but Hania Aamir's movie has a historic value. Hania's presence in the movie in such a situation is a proof of [her] best performance," he wrote on his Instagram stories. 

As per Indian media reports, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) urged the CBFC to block Sardaar Ji 3 in India over the inclusion of Pakistani artists, warning Diljit could face a ban. 

It may be noted that Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, who starred alongside Vaani Kapoor in yet-to-be-released Abir Gulaal, also suffered a setback in the wake of recent tensions between Pakistan and India as the movie was stalled. There have been no reports on when the film is going to be released.

Meanwhile, other Pakistani stars such as Mahira Khan and Mawra Hoccane — who starred in Bollywood's Raees and Sanam Teri Kasam, respectively — faced backlash as their images were removed from the posters and covers of movie songs available online following the deterioration of ties between Pakistan and India.