Mumbai, India – In an emotional conversation, Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, and director Rajkumar Santoshi opened up about their upcoming film Batwara 1947, a historical drama that revisits the trauma of the Partition. The film, which releases on August 14, tells the story of Sikandar Mirza (Sunny Deol), a man who leaves his home in Lucknow for Lahore and vows to protect an old Hindu woman from extremists. Adapted from Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamyai Nai, the film takes a mainstream approach, shaping Mirza’s character to suit Sunny’s action-oriented persona.
Sunny revealed that his father, the legendary Dharmendra, had seen a version of the film before his death last November. “Papa loved it,” he said, his eyes welling up. He recalled hearing stories of Partition from his grandfather and uncle while growing up. “It shouldn’t have happened; so many innocents died,” he reflected. Santoshi added that he wanted to portray both the courage and the brutal violence of the time, without delivering a message. “I am a filmmaker, not a teacher,” he said, emphasizing that he wanted to turn the emotionally moving subject into an entertaining film.
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The film marks Preity Zinta’s return to cinema after a long hiatus. She was initially unsure about the project when Aamir Khan, who is producing the film, called her. However, after hearing the script from Santoshi, she signed on immediately. Preity said she was drawn to the period setting and the portrayal of women in the 1940s, whose lives revolved around caring for their families. “When I finished the film, I felt so grateful to have been born at a time and place where women have the choice to do what they want,” she said. Santoshi had been wanting to work with Sunny for years, and the script finally came to life after the success of Gadar 2. The director described Sunny’s character as “the most courageous” he has ever written, as he fights not just individuals but the very idea of fanaticism.
