Sardaar Ji 3 nears Rs500 million mark at global box office

LAHORE: Pakistani actress Hania Aamir and Indian Punjabi cinema star Diljit Dosanjh’s latest Punjabi film, Sardaar Ji 3, is inching closer to the Rs500 million milestone, after a strong performance at international box offices despite not being released in India.

According to reports, the film has raked in Rs336 million in its opening week, leaving it just Rs164 million short of the coveted mark.

While political tensions following the Pahalgam incident prevented the film’s release in India due to the casting of a Pakistani actress, the restriction has not dampened its international success.

Sardaar Ji 3 made a sensational debut in Pakistani cinemas on June 27, collecting a whopping Rs4.5 crore on its very first day.

Sardaar Ji 3 has received overwhelming response in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Pakistan, particularly from the Punjabi diaspora. Critics have praised its box office numbers as impressive for a regional Punjabi-language film, with North America leading in terms of audience turnout.

The film has been positively received in Pakistan as well, and its momentum is expected to continue in the coming weeks, thanks to strong word of mouth and favourable reviews.

Made on a reported budget of Rs3500 million, the film has already proven financially successful through its overseas earnings. Analysts suggest that had the film been allowed to screen in India, it would have crossed the Rs1 billion mark globally.