Sardaar Ji 3 Box Office: Diljit starrer opens overseas, Biggest ever for India in Pakistan BUT...
Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3 amassed over USD 500K (Rs. 4.50 crore) on Friday from the overseas market, with a record-breaking opening in Pakistan. This marks the highest opening day ever for a Punjabi film; however, the two films it is ahead of, Jatt and Juliet 3 and Carry on Jatta 3, had a mid-week release on Thursday. When comparing Friday-to-Friday, both those titles outperformed Sardaar Ji 3, making this the third-best opening day for a Punjabi film in relative terms..
The Diljit Dosanjh starrer featuring Neeru Bajwa and Pakistani actress Hania Aamir had to let go of release in India due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. While Diljit is facing criticism in India for casting a Pakistani actress, this controversy appears to have amplified the film's appeal in Pakistan and the Pakistani diaspora abroad.
In Pakistan, the film grossed PKR 3.35 crore (USD 120K) on Friday, which is the highest ever first day for an Indian film, beating Sultan from almost a decade ago. The Pakistani market isn't the same as it was back in the day. Ticket prices have gone up, but the overall market has shrunk, with far fewer operational screens today. Moreover, while Bollywood films once had pan-national appeal in Pakistan, Punjabi films mostly draw audiences in West Punjab.
The top market for the film was Canada with CAD 195K, a good start, but pales in comparison to CAD 302K opening day and CAD 380K Friday of Jatt and Juliet 3. Similarly, Australia underwhelmed with AUD 80K against AUD 201K Friday of Jatt and Juliet 3, though here the film could have done better, but was limited by showcasing as most key locations were running full. UAE and UK, with their sizable Pakistani diaspora, saw strong starts, ahead of Jatt and Juliet 3.
The overseas box office for the film may see it through, but the loss of the domestic market, not just theatrical but potentially non-theatrical, is a big blow. It's not just a setback for the film but for the Punjabi film industry as a whole, which has been struggling on the domestic front. Sardaar Ji 3 was seen as a potential shot in the arm for the industry… alas.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
41 minutes ago
- India.com
Remember the
Remember the "Abba Dabba Jabba" actress aka "Bua Ji" from The Kapil Sharma Show? Has done over 100 films, last appeared in.., she is now... In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood, many actors come and go every day. However, there are only a few artists who remain etched in the memories of the audience and continue to resonate with the audience for years to come. One such story is of an actress whose one dialogue made her an overnight sensation and is still a part of the meme culture in today's time. The actress we are talking about is none other than Upasana Singh. Known for her famous dialogue 'Abba dabba jabba', Upasana's incredible comic timing and strong screen presence captivated the audience. Upsana Singh's Breakthrough Moment While Upasana Singh has done a fair share of work in Punjabi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, and Hindi films, her breakthrough happened with the film Judaai, where she grabbed a lot of eyeballs for her quirky dialogue, 'Abba dabba jabba.' She was widely hailed for her hilarious expressions and great on-screen chemistry with Johnny Lever Upsana Singh's other work Upsana Singh was born in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, and worked in different regional cinemas. Speaking of her Bollywood career, she mostly did comic or negative-shaded roles. She also appeared in several films like Loafer, Sarfarosh, Hungama, Hulchul, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Baghban, Badal, Krishna Arjun, Insaaf Ki Devi, etc. She also appeared in top-rated television shows Comedy Nights with Kapil and The Kapil Sharma Show, where she played the infamous role of 'Bua Ji'. Speaking of her work in regional cinema, her Rajasthani film Bai Chali Sasariye was a massive hit and broke records by running over 100 days in theatres. It was the first Rajasthani film to achieve such a milestone in the film industry Where is She Now? Currently Upasana is not very active, however, but she is still a part of the acting world. In 2022, she appeared in Tamannah Bhatia's film Babli Bouncer and Boman Irani's web series Masoom. She also played a role in the Hindi film Hume Toh Loot Liya.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Amid Sardaar Ji 3 Row, BJP Leader Hobby Dhaliwal Supports Diljit Dosanjh: "Punjab, Punjabi, And Punjabiyat Are With You"
Chandigarh (Punjab): BJP leader and actor Hobby Dhaliwal has come out in support of Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh amid the ongoing controversy over his film Sardaar Ji 3, featuring Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. Speaking to ANI, Dhaliwal expressed, "Even before this, many artists from Pakistan have worked in India. We are in favour of Diljit Dosanjh. The stages where the world's biggest artists dream of performing, our Punjabi gabru, with a turban on his head, proclaims 'Punjabi aa gaye oye '. When he goes to the same stage with the tricolour in his hand, then our pride becomes even greater. Punjab, Punjabi, and Punjabiyat are with you, Diljit." The singer-actor has been facing a massive backlash for collaborating with a Pakistani artist, Hania Aamir, in his film Sardaar Ji 3. The timing has added fuel to the ongoing controversy, as tensions between India and Pakistan remain high following the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Sardaar Ji 3 was released in theatres on June 27, 2025, but was not released in India. Meanwhile, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees had sent a letter to the makers of Border 2, urging them to cut all ties with Diljit. "Your involvement risks sending a deeply conflicting message, especially given your influence as a director known for socially resonant therefore, strongly appeal to you to reconsider your collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh and withdraw from associating with any artist who has been officially boycotted by FWICE. Upholding the dignity of our industry and the nation must remain paramount over professional or commercial interests," the letter read. Despite skipping a theatrical release in India due to backlash towards the casting of Pakistani actor Hania Aamir, the film has found success in Pakistan. The horror comedy has reportedly gone housefull in Pakistani cinemas, showcasing Diljit's enduring popularity across borders.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Sardaar Ji 3: Diljit Dosanjh Shares A Glimpse Of 'Overwhelming Response From The Audience' In Pakistan
New Delhi: On Friday, June 27, 2025, Pakistan-based movie theatre Cinegold Plex shared a glimpse of packed theatres for Diljit Dosanjh's Sardaar Ji 3. After severe backlash for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir, the film was released everywhere except India. Despite the online flak, the film has found success in Pakistan. The horror comedy has reportedly gone Housefull in Pakistani cinemas, showcasing Diljit's enduring popularity across borders. He shared another post by Universal Cinemas today which was a glimpse of the audience enjoying the movie in Pakistan. What's Happening Despite being banned from a release in India, Diljit Dosanjh's Sardaar Ji 3 has received immense success in Pakistan after its release on June 27, 2025. Diljit Dosanjh shared a post by Universal Cinemas on Instagram, where a reel was posted of the overwhelming response of the audience towards Sardaar Ji 3. The text in the video reads, "12 shows on ultra screens. The largest in the country. The overwhelming response from the audience for Sardaar Ji 3. Come and watch!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by UNIVERSAL CINEMAS (@universalcinemas) The Controversy Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has been in the eye of storm for sharing screen space with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in Sardaar Ji 3. The film recently had an International release, skipping screenings in India in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) had urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to deny certification to the film. As a result, the makers decided to skip the film's theatrical release in India altogether. Diljit Dosanjh also reacted to the controversy in an interview with BBC Asian Network. The actor said, "When this film was made, everything was fine. We shot it in February and things were okay back then. After that, a lot of big things happened that were beyond our control. So the producers decided that the film obviously won't be released in India now, so they'll release it overseas. The producers have invested a lot of money, and when the film was being made, nothing like this was happening." He added, "They know there will be a loss because you're removing an entire territory. Even when I signed the film, everything was fine. Now the situation is not in our hands. So if the producers want to release it abroad, I support them." In A Nutshell Diljit Dosanjh shared a glimpse of the audience enjoying Sardaar Ji 3 in Pakistan's theatres. The film arrived in theatres on Friday but skipped its release in India amid the ongoing controversy.
