Hania Amir's starrer Sardaar Ji 3 sets new box office records
Entertainment
The film outperformed Salman Khan’s 2016 hit Sultan
(Web Desk) - Despite political tensions and boycott calls in India, the Punjabi-language film Sardaar Ji 3 has set a new benchmark in Pakistan, achieving the highest opening-day earnings for any Indian film.
Launched on June 27, 2025, exclusively in overseas markets, including Pakistan, the film grossed approximately Rs4.5 crore (USD 500,000) on its debut day, according to industry estimates.
The third chapter of the Sardaar Ji franchise, which was not released in India due to strained diplomatic relations following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, has been warmly embraced by Pakistani audiences.
The film, starring Neeru Bajwa and featuring a supernatural storyline, outperformed Salman Khan’s 2016 hit Sultan, which previously held the record for the biggest opening day for an Indian film in Pakistan.
This success comes despite Pakistan’s shrinking cinema market, driven by inflation and an ongoing ban on Bollywood films, which has led to the closure of numerous theatres.
The film’s strong performance, especially in Punjab’s urban centers, has been partly fueled by curiosity surrounding the controversy over Hania Aamir’s casting and the political backlash in India.
Producer Gunbir Singh Sidhu, speaking to an Indian news channel, noted that while Sardaar Ji 3 has thrived overseas but the absence of the Indian market has caused an estimated 40% revenue loss for the film.
