“Aamir Khan Says No to Dangal in Pakistan Over Cuts to Indian National Identity”

Aamir Khan Reveals Why He Refused Dangal’s Pakistan Release: ‘They Asked Us to Remove the Flag, Anthem’

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan recently revealed that his 2016 blockbuster Dangal was not released in Pakistan due to demands from the country’s censor board to remove scenes featuring the Indian national flag and anthem. The actor shared the backstory during his appearance on Rajat Sharma’s talk show Aap Ki Adalat.

A Firm Stand on Patriotism
Speaking about the incident, Aamir recalled that Disney, one of the film’s producers, had approached him after receiving feedback from Pakistan’s censor authorities. “They said, ‘Geeta Phogat ke jeetne par jo tiranga upar jaata hai aur humara rashtra gaan bajta hai, toh aap yeh dono nikal dijiye or we won’t pass the film,’” Aamir recounted.

The actor said he did not hesitate for a moment. “I told Disney, ‘We’re not releasing the film in Pakistan.’ They said it would affect business, but I made it clear: if someone asks us to remove our flag or national anthem, I have no interest in dealing with them. I don’t want that kind of business.”

Previous Controversies and Censorship
Reflecting on his earlier film Sarfarosh, Aamir also mentioned how Indian filmmakers have long been discouraged from naming specific countries in their storylines, especially Pakistan. He noted that Sarfarosh was among the first Indian films to explicitly reference both Pakistan and ISIS, defying the norm of using vague terms like “neighboring country.”

“John Mathew Matthan, the director, was concerned it would get rejected, but I was confident we could justify it,” Aamir said.

The Global Success of Dangal
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Dangal told the real-life story of Mahavir Singh Phogat, an Indian wrestler who trained his daughters Geeta and Babita Phogat to become international champions. The film starred Aamir as Mahavir, with Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra playing the adult versions of the Phogat sisters.

The movie was a massive box-office success, collecting ₹387 crore in India and a staggering ₹2,070 crore globally — a large portion of which came from its release in China. Dangal remains the highest-grossing Indian film of all time.

What’s Next for Aamir Khan
The actor is now preparing for the release of Sitaare Zameen Par, described as a “spiritual sequel” to his critically acclaimed 2007 film Taare Zameen Par. The upcoming film, co-starring Genelia D’Souza, is set to hit theatres on June 21.