Popular actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh recently faced a backlash for sharing screen space with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the upcoming movie Sardaar Ji 3. The film's casting has drawn ire from certain segments of the public, with social media outrage mounting over the past few weeks.
In the midst of the controversy that surrounds it, footage from one of Diljit's concerts during his Dil-Luminati tour has gone viral on social media. During the video, the artist answered the criticism directly, presenting a strong message that earned the applause of the crowd.
He is heard saying,
"Agar khilaaf hai. toh hone do, jaan thodi hai. Yeh sab dhuaah hai, aasmaan thodi hai. Sabhi ka khoon shaamil hai iss mitti mein, kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai."
Those words echoed well with concert attendees, who were welcomed by loud applause and encouragement.
Yet, seasoned singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya was quick to respond to Diljit's comment. Posting on Instagram, he uploaded a video clip of Diljit's speech during the concert, after which he made some comments of his own. In the clip, Abhijeet replied,
"Hindustan hamare baap ka hain. Hindustan hamare baap ke baap ke baap ke purvajo ka hain."
He ended the post with a photo of himself holding proudly the Indian national flag, the Tiranga, while the patriotic song Sare Jahan Se Accha played in the background. The video was captioned:
"Hindustan Hamare BAAP ka hai."
In the meanwhile, renowned director Imtiaz Ali has also come out in support of Diljit. The director of Chamkila, who collaborated with the singer in the recent biopic Amar Singh Chamkila, came to the defense of Diljit's patriotism and integrity.
"I don't know the details, but it's not the actor's decision to cast someone," Imtiaz said.
"I don't know how it happened, but uske andar desh prem bahut zyada hai (He has a lot of love in the country). Jo log dekh paayenge unke andar ke sach ko, unko ye samajh mein aa jaayega (Those who see his truth will understand).
As the controversy rages on, Diljit's comments and the ensuing fallout have prompted a wider debate over art, patriotism, and cross-border collaborations within the entertainment industry.
