Archive · 10 Aug 2026
Sunny Deol Fights Fanaticism in Partition Drama Batwara 1947
A long time ago, in 1947, a big country called India was split into two countries, and that event is called the Partition.
It made many people very sad because innocent people were hurt and killed.
A new movie called Batwara 1947 tells a story about that time.
The main character is a strong man played by the famous actor Sunny Deol.
Sunny is working again with his old friend, director Rajkumar Santoshi, after 30 years.
This hero is not just strong with his body - he fights for other people's rights even when it is hard, which the filmmakers call fighting against fanaticism.
The movie also has other famous actors, like Preity Zinta and Shabana Azmi.
Sunny's own father, actor Dharmendra, watched the film and was very emotional.
The filmmakers say the story shows that even in terrible times, people showed great courage and made great sacrifices.
Batwara 1947 reunites Sunny Deol and director Rajkumar Santoshi for the first time in three decades, following their earlier collaborations Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak.
The period film, set around the Partition of India, is produced by Aamir Khan and also stars Preity Zinta and Shabana Azmi.
The story was first narrated to Deol in 2010, and the project was earlier titled Lahore before becoming Batwara 1947.
Sunny Deol says his character is completely different from Gadar's Tara Singh and fights against fanaticism, embodying moral courage rather than physical courage.
The filmmakers say the film is not made to preach a message, while Deol noted Partition 'shouldn't have happened' and that his father Dharmendra was emotional after watching the film.
- Who
- Actor Sunny Deol, director Rajkumar Santoshi, producer Aamir Khan, and co-stars Preity Zinta and Shabana Azmi
- What
- Interviews about the Partition-set period film Batwara 1947, in which Deol plays a character who fights against fanaticism
- When
- The film reunites the duo after three decades; the story was first narrated to Deol in 2010 (the release date is not stated)
- Where
- The story is set around the Partition of India in 1947, with themes rooted in Punjab
- Why
- To dramatise what Partition was and how people stood by themselves against all odds
Filmmakers
Audience concerns
Handling the Partition subject
Filmmakers
Rajkumar Santoshi says the film is not made to give a message; viewers should see human beings, not Hindus or Muslims, and the story is told as it is without taking sides.
Audience concerns
The interview notes that stories set around Partition can easily become divisive, especially in the current environment.
Comparing the hero to Gadar's Tara Singh
Filmmakers
Some viewers feel the character resembles Tara Singh from Gadar.
Audience concerns
Sunny Deol and Santoshi insist it is completely different: Tara Singh was a fun-loving, romantic Sardar in a pure love story who fought for his own rights, while Batwara's hero fights for someone else's rights at the cost of his family.
- Film
- Batwara 1947
- Director
- Rajkumar Santoshi
- Lead actor
- Sunny Deol
- Producer
- Aamir Khan
- Co-stars
- Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi
- Working title
- Lahore
- Earlier Santoshi-Deol films
- Ghayal, Damini, Ghatak
- Story narrated
- 2010