‘Batwara 1947’ Highlights Humanity and a Mother’s Strength Amid Partition: Sunny Deol

PATNA, Aug 2: Actor Sunny Deol on Sunday said his upcoming film “Batwara 1947” tells a deeply emotional story about the human cost of India’s Partition, with a mother’s unconditional love and humanity at its heart. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the film is set to release in theatres on August 14. It is based on renowned writer Asghar Wajahat’s acclaimed play “Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya, O Jamyai Nai”. Speaking about the film, Deol said it focuses on the suffering of ordinary families displaced during Partition and conveys a timeless message of compassion. “The biggest religion is humanity. The film revolves around a motherly figure, and its core message is that a mother is above all religions and faiths,” he said. Produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Batwara 1947 stars Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta as a couple forced to migrate from India to Pakistan during Partition. In Pakistan, they come to the aid of an elderly woman, portrayed by Shabana Azmi, as she faces hostility in a society divided by the trauma of Partition. The film also features Ali Fazal and Karan Deol, who plays Sunny Deol’s son. Deol described Batwara 1947 as another significant collaboration with director Rajkumar Santoshi, with whom he previously delivered acclaimed films such as Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak. Reflecting on his personal connection to the subject, Deol said he grew up hearing Partition stories from his grandparents. “There was fear in those stories, but there were also accounts of people helping one another. Those memories stayed with me,” he said. Responding to comparisons with his blockbuster Gadar, Deol said the two films explore different aspects of Partition. “Gadar was essentially a love story set during Partition, while Batwara 1947 is about families uprooted by the tragedy and the emotional consequences of migration. We are filmmakers—we tell stories, not politics,” he said. Karan Deol called working alongside his father a memorable experience, saying it was a dream come true to share the screen with him. Sunny Deol also revealed his long-standing ambition to make a large-scale historical film on Emperor Ashoka, describing it as a fascinating subject that would require significant financial backing. He added that the success of Gadar 2 has opened new opportunities for such ambitious projects.