Shabana Azmi has spoken about the disappointing box-office performance of Batwara 1947, suggesting that audiences may have struggled to accept Sunny Deol as an Indian Muslim character. Released on August 14, the film has earned Rs 53.96 crore so far, while Emraan Hashmi-starrer Awarapan 2 has crossed the Rs 200 crore mark.
Shabana Azmi reacts to Batwara 1947 failing at box office
The 75-year-old actor said she was surprised by the contrast between the praise she has heard for the film and its theatrical performance. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and backed by Aamir Khan, Batwara 1947 reunited Santoshi and Deol after Ghatak and Gadar. It also marked Preity Zinta’s return to the big screen after an eight-year gap.
Speaking to Zoom, Azmi said, “Firstly, I am very surprised at the total box office disaster that Batwara 1947 has been because I am surrounded by people who come and tell me they have loved the film.” She added that viewers appreciated its message of humanity, but “people didn’t go to the theatre”.
Shabana Azmi on Sunny Deol’s role
Azmi then questioned whether Deol’s casting affected the audience response. “The thing is that you cannot accept Sunny Deol as a Muslim. In Coolie and in many other films, Amitabh Bachchan very comfortably played Muslim characters. In Deewaar, he put 786 and that was accepted. So how do we understand this? Are they creating an environment where such decisions are being taken on purpose? I am not able to understand,” she said, comparing it with Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of Muslim characters in films such as Coolie and Deewaar.
She also claimed that some viewers had misunderstood Deol’s character. “Even the ones who have watched the film think Sunny Deol is playing a Pakistani. He is not. It is simply not registering in their heads,” she said.
Discussing the film’s broader subject, Azmi said, “The problem is that you cannot touch the subject of Hindustan and Pakistan in this setup, which is very disappointing.” She maintained that the film is “politically not incorrect in any way” and praised Deol’s performance.
Earlier, even while talking to Galatta India, Rajkumar Santoshi had also clarified that Sunny Deol’s character isn’t Pakistani, he said, “I have been reading reviews where it is mentioned that he is playing a Pakistani. I would like to clarify, he is not playing a Pakistani. He is playing a Muslim from India. He is uprooted and to save his life and save his family, he migrated to Pakistan.”
Batwara 1947 has received mixed reviews, with its screenplay and Deol’s portrayal of Sikandar Mirza, an Indian Muslim caught in the turmoil of Partition, becoming points of discussion. Santoshi has previously said that casting Deol in the role was considered a risky move when the film was first conceived around 15 years ago.
