Naseeruddin Shah slams backlash against Diljit Dosanjh over Sardaar Ji 3 with strong Facebook post — which was later allegedly removed

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah publicly supported Diljit Dosanjh, who faced backlash for his film Sardaar Ji 3, featuring Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. The film, shot and cast before recent India-Pakistan tensions, was released overseas on June 27 after the producers decided to forgo an Indian release amid growing criticism.

In his Facebook post, Shah criticized what he called the “dirty tricks department” of a political party (which he referred to as “Jumla Party”) for targeting Dosanjh unfairly. He defended Dosanjh, saying he was not responsible for the film’s casting decisions and praised his openness and unprejudiced attitude.

Shah also spoke against attempts to prevent people-to-people interactions between India and Pakistan, stating he has close relatives and friends in Pakistan and would continue to express his affection freely. Responding to those who tell dissenters to “Go to Pakistan,” he sarcastically suggested, “Go to Kailasa” — referencing fugitive godman Nithyananda’s self-proclaimed “nation” of Kailasa.

However, Shah later claimed that Facebook removed his post, raising questions about freedom of expression on the platform. It is unclear whether this was due to government pressure or a decision by Meta itself, as no official comment was made.

Other figures such as Javed Akhtar and Imtiaz Ali have also voiced support for Dosanjh amidst the controversy.