- Batwara 1947 releases in theatres on August 14
- The film adapts 30% of the original play, adding new characters for modern relevance
- Batwara 1947 is a human drama focusing on humanity above religion without bias
Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947 is set to arrive in theatres on August 14. Ahead of its release, director Rajkumar Santoshi spoke exclusively to NDTV's Aditya Raj Kaul about the film, its relevance for today's generation, and why he sees it as a story about humanity rather than religion.
Rajkumar Santoshi said, "Asghar Wajahat, who wrote the original play, also wrote the screenplay and script of the film, but at the same time, he has protected the spirit of the play. We have taken 30% of the play and added more characters. Today, keeping Gen-Z in mind and considering the atmosphere around us, it is a very relevant film."
The filmmaker was also clear that Batwara 1947 does not seek to take sides or push a particular political narrative.
"This film is not taking sides. It's not a propaganda film; it's a human drama. Through all the drama, the film loudly says that humanity is above all religions," he said.
Rajkumar Santoshi also highlighted the central characters and the difficult choices they make against the backdrop of Partition.
"Tara Singh fights to bring back his wife, like Ram and Sita. Sikandar Mirza goes one step ahead. He puts his entire family at risk to protect and save a Hindu lady in Pakistan. That is a big challenge. I have made many films on heroic characters, but for me, Sikandar Mirza is the bravest. He fights against fanaticism," he said.
The filmmaker also revealed that Batwara 1947 draws inspiration from Dharmendra's 1969 classic Satyakam.
"Satyakam, starring Dharmendra, inspires me a lot. Batwara 1947 is a tribute to Satyakam. We are not here to give a message. It is engaging and entertaining, but it will also make you think and provoke you to think. It has all the elements that you expect in a Sunny Deol film, but it will also make you think," he said.
Directed by National Award–winning filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, Batwara 1947 marks the reunion of Santoshi and Sunny Deol after nearly three decades. The two previously collaborated on hits such as Ghayal (1990), Damini (1993) and Ghatak (1996).
Produced by Aamir Khan and Aparna Purohit under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions, the film's music is composed by AR Rahman, with lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar.