After ‘Sardarji 3' row, spotlight now on ‘Chal Mera Putt 4' amid backlash over Pakistani actors

Indian Express

02-07-2025

With the controversy over Sardarji 3 still simmering in India, all eyes are now on another major Punjabi film, Chal Mera Putt 4, which is slated for a worldwide release on August 1 and prominently features several Pakistani actors, including the now-controversial comedian Iftikhar Thakur.
The row over Sardarji 3 erupted after Pakistani actress Hania Aamir was cast opposite Diljit Dosanjh. The film, which was set for release on June 27, has not been released in India so far but has reportedly opened to an overwhelming response in Pakistan and other overseas markets. While Dosanjh has received support from sections of Bollywood, a part of the Punjabi film fraternity, and even the Punjab BJP, there remains no clarity on whether Sardarji 3 will see an Indian release at all.
Now, the upcoming Chal Mera Putt 4 is facing similar questions. The film franchise has long been known for its cross-border collaboration featuring popular Pakistani artists like Iftikhar Thakur, Nasir Chinyoti, and Akram Udas, who have become staples of its comedic storyline about Punjabis struggling abroad.
The controversy took a serious turn after Iftikhar Thakur's provocative statements on May 2, following the Pahalgam terror attack. Appearing on a Pakistani talk show, Thakur warned India, saying, 'If you come through the air, you'll be blown away in the wind. If you come through the sea, you'll be drowned in water. If you come by land, you'll be buried.'
His remarks triggered sharp criticism from Punjabi actors and filmmakers in India, who called for an immediate boycott of Pakistani actors in Punjabi cinema. The backlash gathered steam even as many in the Punjabi film industry maintained silence over Thakur's repeated jibes.
In June, a video of Thakur further stoked anger when he claimed, 'We are the reason these films work. They have no right to boycott us… It is we who should boycott them. I have signed 16 of their films, and they have invested over ₹300 crore in me. They made nine films without casting us, and all nine were flops.'
Punjabi filmmaker and writer Rakesh Dhawan, who penned the Chal Mera Putt series, had hit back sharply, 'Thakur, you cannot run your own household—how do you expect to run Punjabi cinema? Only the films you did with me became hits. The rest were all flops. Chal Mera Putt gave you a global identity,' Dhawan said. He added that while one more film with Thakur is already shot and must be released due to the producer's financial stake, he would have preferred to cut ties.
Prominent actors have echoed similar sentiments. Binnu Dhillon in May had branded Thakur 'an enemy,' pledging never to work with him again. Gurpreet Ghuggi had said, 'Artists are supposed to build bridges, not walls. I don't think anyone in the Punjabi film industry will ever work with Pakistani actors now. He has shut the doors not just for himself, but for others too.'
Following Thakur's repeated statements, calls to ban Pakistani actors from Indian Punjabi films have grown louder, particularly in the wake of the Sardarji 3 controversy, which also features Chinyoti.
In Chal Mera Putt 4, Thakur, Chinyoti, and Udas play prominent roles as Chaudhary Shamsher, Tabrez, and Buta Khan, respectively, alongside Indian leads Amrinder Gill and Simi Chahal. The other Pakistani actors who have worked in previous sequels are Ruby Anam, Zafri Khan and Nasim Vicky. The franchise has historically found huge audiences on both sides of the border and among the global Punjabi diaspora.
Earlier, behind-the-scenes videos shared by Gill, Thakur, and others in March showed the team shooting together, even celebrating Thakur's birthday on set. These hinted at the August 1 worldwide release, though no fresh statement has been issued by the makers since the controversy erupted.
Interestingly, Udas has distanced himself from Thakur's statements. On June 12, Udas became the first Pakistani actor to publicly criticise Thakur, implicitly rebutting his remarks in a video statement—though he did not name Thakur directly, the context was clear.
Scenes involving Pakistani actors in Indian Punjabi films are generally shot outside India and Pakistan, usually in the UK or Canada. Despite this workaround, many stakeholders now believe the future of such collaborations looks bleak.
With the Sardarji 3 release in India still hanging in limbo, the fate of Chal Mera Putt 4 has become the next litmus test.