Mika Singh has offered a mix of admiration and criticism for Diljit Dosanjh, framing his comments as brotherly concern rather than rivalry. Speaking with Times Now, he said he is proud of Diljit’s global rise, rejected any suggestion of jealousy and credited him with taking Punjabi music to international audiences. He also placed Diljit within a lineage, saying he had carried forward Daler Mehndi’s legacy as a turbaned singer who made a strong impression on the industry.
Then he put a pointed question on the table: why did one of Hindi cinema’s biggest multilingual stars not back Border 2 more visibly?
The Border 2 charge
Mika’s complaint is specific. He said when Border 2 came out, Diljit ‘did not promote it even one per cent’ and did not publicly thank Sunny Deol. He added that he had never seen Diljit call the Sunny Deol film a big moment, and that no post appeared around the release or afterwards.
He extended the same standard to the song Main Vaapas Aaunga, saying it was released without a post, and to Sardaar Ji 3. On that film, Mika said the only post he noticed concerned Pakistani actor Hania Aamir, while Neeru Bajwa, also in the film, was not mentioned.
‘Why don’t you promote Bollywood when you work in Bollywood? Then you say, “I don’t need Bollywood,” but you work in Bollywood,’ Mika said, adding that he was speaking as a brother.
Why the distinction matters
Promotion is distribution currency in Hindi cinema. A lead actor’s public endorsement helps a film cut through in the release window and indicates how seriously the project should be taken. When a major star appears in a big Hindi film but remains quiet on social media, it creates exactly this kind of gap between the work and its public record.
There is also a cultural thread. Punjabi artists have long moved between Punjabi and Hindi cinema, and Diljit’s success has made him one of the most visible examples. Mika is not asking him to choose; he is asking for reciprocity on the public stage.
The record is more mixed than the charge
Diljit was not absent from Border 2’s rollout. He revealed his first look in December 2025 and took part in the film’s promotional campaign, sharing behind-the-scenes videos tied to the film and its songs. The criticism is therefore about degree and sustained visibility, not complete absence.
What talent teams can take from this
For marketing and artist teams, the exchange is a useful checklist.
- Do: schedule acknowledgment posts for co-stars and each major market release.
- Do: treat every language market as part of the project, even when the audience follows you elsewhere.
- Don’t: let a first look or a BTS clip stand in for sustained visibility.
The underlying expectation will not fade. As more stars work across Hindi and regional-language industries, their public ledger of posts, thanks and tributes will be read as a statement of commitment.
Source: Outlook India
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