In an exclusive interview with NDTV on Thursday, singer Mika Singh criticised Diljit Dosanjh for collaborating with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in his new Punjabi movie Sardaar Ji 3, whose trailer was shared on social media on Sunday.
Mika Singh was one of the first artistes from the Indian entertainment industry to publicly call out Diljit Dosanjh and demand an apology over Hania Aamir's casting in Sardaar Ji 3. In the interview, he once again asked the GOAT hitmaker to say sorry for his actions.
"He's a great artist, people love him. We all respect him, his music. For us, this time, it is country first. If there has been a mistake, he can say sorry and delete his post (about the film)," Mika Singh told NDTV.
Mika also agreed with fellow Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa, who in his X post took a veiled dig at Diljit Dosanjh, writing "PR bigger thn artist (sic)".
"He (Guru Randhawa) is 100% right. Did you hear about Sardaar Ji 1 or 2? No, right? I am not against Diljit, but we should be considerate of the current situation. We'll definitely work with Pakistan when the ties will be normal, one day. But today the situation is bad. We should respect the soldiers who are serving at the border," he added.
Mika is also no stranger to controversy. In 2019, he was barred temporarily by the film bodies in India for performing at the wedding of a relative of former Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf in Karachi. He later issued an apology for the same.
Asked to weigh in on the controversy he was embroiled in seven years ago, the singer said, "This mistake is not the same that I had committed, this mistake seems intentional. This is a good publicity stunt."
Mika also said that if someone today offers him Rs 5-10 crore to perform in Pakistan, he would refuse because for him "country comes first".
"Since the mistake that I made in 2019, I haven't worked with any Pakistani singer or promoter in Pakistan. For him also the country must come first. His heroine (referring to Hania Aamir) also supports her country, so Diljit, 'You are also Indian, support your country. You're neither deleting the post, nor saying sorry'."
If Mika were to send a message to Diljit Dosanjh, what would it be?
"Diljit, you are an intelligent singer. You have made both India and Punjab proud globally. As an elder brother, I'd advise him to say sorry... and delete his post. Saying that he will release the film overseas, that is wrong. And he should remove those scenes from the movie," the singer said.
Sardaar Ji 3 is not releasing in India. The film will open in international territories, including Pakistan, on Friday.
Also read | Diljit Dosanjh's Sardaar Ji 3 With Hania Aamir To Release In Pakistan After Skipping India
