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Sunny Deol opens up on the challenge of Batwara 1947
Sunny Deol on the challenge of Batwara 1947 'humanising' Pakistanis in today's political climate: 'Mahaul ka nahi socha'
Sunny Deol on the challenge of Batwara 1947 'humanising' Pakistanis in today's political climate: 'Mahaul ka nahi socha'
In Batwara 1947, Sunny Deol plays a Muslim man who protects a Hindu woman in Lahore immediately after the Partition.
Published on: Aug 5, 2026, 10:10:28 IST By Abhimanyu Mathur Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi and actor Sunny Deol are reuniting after almost two decades in the upcoming period drama, Batwara 1947. Set around the Partition, the film tells the story of a Muhajir family in Lahore who protect an ageing Hindu woman. On Tuesday, Santoshi and the film’s stars - Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta - interacted with the media about the film’s tone, story, and their roles. Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta in a still from Batwara 1947.Rajkumar Santoshi on the humanity of Batwara 1947
In today’s climate, it is considered increasingly risky or difficult to show neutrality or parity. Films are avoiding showing humanity across the border. When HT asked Santoshi why he chose this narrative in a polarised political climate, the director said it was never about the messaging. “The story needs to be engaging, entertaining, and leave some emotional things in the mind (of the audience). We don’t like to message. The medium is different for those who are making films for messaging,” says the filmmaker. Santoshi adds that the crux of the story is human courage and will, not the divide between people. “This is an emotional story. What will stay with you are the characters. The story doesn’t see Hindu or Muslim. The characters see human beings. Ek insaan ke saath ek ghatna hoti hai aur insaan kis tarah se kya karta hai (Something occurs with a human being and how other human beings rally together), that is the story. Toh ek message nahi de raha hoon main. Teacher thode hi hoon (I am not giving a message, I am not a teacher). The film should be good, and people should enjoy it,” he adds.‘Not trying to neutralise’, says Sunny Deol
Batwara 1947 is based on Asghar Wajahat’s book Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya O Jamyai Nai, which takes a human approach to retelling the atrocities of the Partition. In most cross-border stories these days, filmmakers take a side, sharply drawing lines between the protagonist and antagonist. But Batwara 1947 takes the middle road, almost, showing humanity in people. However, Sunny Deol says it wasn’t a planned call, but just how the story flows. “It’s a story that Raj (director Rajkumar Santoshi) is telling. That’s a story that we have brought. And the characters that exist within are being portrayed. It is not like we are trying to neutralise it. It is how the characters are written,” says the actor. For Sunny, what matters about the film is how it makes the audience feel. “When you see the film, you will forget what it is. You will be so involved in the cinema that you will come out happy and satisfied. It will make you realise what the Partition was. And how important it is to stand by yourself against all the odds. But it is not ki hum isko thoda aise rakhein ya isko thoda aise rakhein. Woh jo subject hai wahi hum banayenge. Usko badal toh nahi sakte. (It is not as if we tried to keep it this way or that way. We will make what the subject is. We can’t change that),” he explains. But a film that portrays Pakistani people as simply people and not villains is rare in Hindi cinema these days. When asked if this element of Batwara 1947 will make it a worthwhile watch in Pakistan, Sunny says, “We never thought of that way. I heard this story from Raj in 2010, and we have been wanting to make it since then. When you talk about the political climate, humne mahaul ke baare mein kabhi nahi socha. Hum toh kahani bana rahe hain. Hamare dimaag me koi khot nahi hai (we never thought about the climate, just told our story. There is no malice in our hearts).” Preity Zinta, making her comeback to the big screen after seven years, adds, “For me too, it’s not about ki udhar kya ho raha hai, idhar kya ho raha hai? It’s about humare ghar mein kya ho raha hai? And when world events happen, when things happen anywhere, you know, you don’t look at it. When you are going through a situation, your first instinct is my family and me.”About the film
In Batwara 1947, Sunny Deol plays a Muslim man who migrates to Pakistan during the Partition. However, he discovers a Hindu woman, played by Shabana Azmi, living upstairs in his home, who refuses to leave. He takes it upon himself to protect her while also ensuring his family's safety amid the chaos. The film also marks the first on-screen collaboration between Sunny and his son, Karan Deol, who plays his son. The cast also includes Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh, Khushi Hajare and Kanikka Kapur. The film's music has been composed by AR Rahman, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. It has also been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) without any cuts. The film is bankrolled by Aamir Khan under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Abhimanyu Mathur Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More Sunny Deol Preity Zinta Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times. Home/Entertainment/Bollywood/Sunny Deol On The Challenge Of Batwara 1947 'humanising' Pakistanis In Today's Political Climate: 'Mahaul Ka Nahi Socha' See Less
Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi and actor Sunny Deol are reuniting after almost two decades in the upcoming period drama, Batwara 1947. Set around the Partition, the film tells the story of a Muhajir family in Lahore who protect an ageing Hindu woman. On Tuesday, Santoshi and the film’s stars - Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta - interacted with the media about the film’s tone, story, and their roles.
Santoshi adds that the crux of the story is human courage and will, not the divide between people. “This is an emotional story. What will stay with you are the characters. The story doesn’t see Hindu or Muslim. The characters see human beings. Ek insaan ke saath ek ghatna hoti hai aur insaan kis tarah se kya karta hai (Something occurs with a human being and how other human beings rally together), that is the story. Toh ek message nahi de raha hoon main. Teacher thode hi hoon (I am not giving a message, I am not a teacher). The film should be good, and people should enjoy it,” he adds.
For Sunny, what matters about the film is how it makes the audience feel. “When you see the film, you will forget what it is. You will be so involved in the cinema that you will come out happy and satisfied. It will make you realise what the Partition was. And how important it is to stand by yourself against all the odds. But it is not ki hum isko thoda aise rakhein ya isko thoda aise rakhein. Woh jo subject hai wahi hum banayenge. Usko badal toh nahi sakte. (It is not as if we tried to keep it this way or that way. We will make what the subject is. We can’t change that),” he explains.
But a film that portrays Pakistani people as simply people and not villains is rare in Hindi cinema these days. When asked if this element of Batwara 1947 will make it a worthwhile watch in Pakistan, Sunny says, “We never thought of that way. I heard this story from Raj in 2010, and we have been wanting to make it since then. When you talk about the political climate, humne mahaul ke baare mein kabhi nahi socha. Hum toh kahani bana rahe hain. Hamare dimaag me koi khot nahi hai (we never thought about the climate, just told our story. There is no malice in our hearts).”
Preity Zinta, making her comeback to the big screen after seven years, adds, “For me too, it’s not about ki udhar kya ho raha hai, idhar kya ho raha hai? It’s about humare ghar mein kya ho raha hai? And when world events happen, when things happen anywhere, you know, you don’t look at it. When you are going through a situation, your first instinct is my family and me.”
The film also marks the first on-screen collaboration between Sunny and his son, Karan Deol, who plays his son. The cast also includes Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh, Khushi Hajare and Kanikka Kapur.
The film's music has been composed by AR Rahman, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. It has also been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) without any cuts. The film is bankrolled by Aamir Khan under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions.
Source: HindustanTimes
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