Cinema VinesAt a press conference held on Sunday, 2 August 2026, at Inox City Centre Mall in Patna, Bihar, Bollywood actor Sunny Deol promoted his forthcoming film Batwara 1947 while steering clear of political commentary on the neighbouring country Pakistan. When reporters asked him about the film’s shooting location and the political climate, Deol replied that the movie was shot in India and chose to focus on the shared pre‑partition history of the two nations instead of delving into current politics.
During the event, Deol quoted his father, veteran actor Dharmendra, to underline his point. He said, “Hum feel ki baatein nahi karte because pura mulk ek hi tha. Jaise papa ne kaha ki yeh meri maa hai aur woh meri mausi hai, yeh toh aap log sab acchi tarah se jante hain. Hum sab ek tarah se hain toh jude hue kahin na kahin se.” The line, translated roughly, means that people should not speak in terms of emotions because the country used to be one, and that we are all connected, just as his father compared a mother to a maternal aunt.
Deol emphasized that as a filmmaker he prefers to concentrate on storytelling rather than turning cinema into a platform for political debate. He stated, “Main uss sab mein zyada jana nahi chahta lekin hum actors hain, we are makers. Hum kahaaniyaan chunte hain aur kahaaniyan banate hain. Usko phir hum yahan wahan, usko politically nahi leke jaate hain aur na jaana chahte hain. Issilye main us sabki baat hi nahi karuga.” In other words, he does not wish to involve his work or public appearances in political discussions.
Batwara 1947 marks a reunion between Deol and director Rajkumar Santoshi, with whom he last collaborated in the late 1990s on hits such as Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak. The film is adapted from Asghar Wajahat’s 1989 play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai and follows a married couple played by Deol and Preity Zinta who celebrate India’s freedom but are forced to migrate to Pakistan following the partition.
The movie is produced by Aamir Khan Productions and is slated to hit Indian theatres shortly after its Patna launch. Deol’s remarks at the press meet highlighted his intent to keep the conversation about cinema and history, rather than contemporary political disputes.
