Rajkumar Santoshi says Batwara 1947 aimed to highlight humanity and unity during a deeply divisive period, with Sunny Deol’s casting sparking questions.
Share Article
https://www.india.com/entertainment/batwara-1947-rajkumar-santoshi-reveals-why-casting-sunny-deol-as-a-muslim-in-film-was-risk-how-can-he-play-a-muslim-it-will-never-work-8506549/
Rajkumar Santoshi says Sunny Deol’s Muslim role in Batwara 1947 faced scepticism (PC: Twitter)
The choice of Sunny Deol as an Indian Muslim in Batwara 1947 was never going to be an ordinary casting decisionDirector Rajkumar Santoshi knew the actor’s familiar image could raise questions but believed that was exactly what made him suitable for the partThe film places Deol in the role of Sikandar Mirza during the turmoil of PartitionRather than relying on his established action-hero persona, Santoshi wanted to use his popularity to deliver a message about courage, brotherhood and standing against fanaticismHe now says the casting was considered a major risk when the project was first developed.
Why Sunny Deol’s casting raised eyebrows
During an interaction with India Today, Santoshi recalled that the film faced hesitation because the industry was more comfortable with mainstream formulas built around action, songs and familiar commercial elementsA story centred on Pakistan with an Indian Muslim protagonist was seen as difficult to sellCasting Deol made the proposition even more unexpected because audiences had strongly associated him with patriotic and action-driven characters.
“Everybody wanted to make mainstream cinemaBe it commercial, fighting, songs, item songsThey all wanted to be very safe and stick to the success formula,” Santoshi said.
He also remembered the reaction to the idea of Deol playing a Muslim character“Nobody wants to hear the word Pakistan or a Muslim, and a Muslim protagonist, tauba taubaAnd on top of that, Sunny playing the part was a shocker for mostHe is a champion of Hindus; how can he play a Muslim? It will never work.”
Santoshi believed Deol was the right choice
The director did not see the contradiction as a weaknessInstead, he felt Deol’s image could help the film reach viewers who might otherwise overlook such a storySantoshi said Deol plays one of the bravest characters he has written because the character takes a stand against fanaticism rather than simply fighting an individual enemy.
“He is a very popular star, and I was confident that if they came to the theatre and watched the film, the audience wouldn’t be disappointed,” Santoshi saidHe added that standing against fanaticism requires a different kind of courage and that very few people would dare to take such a position.
The message Santoshi wanted audiences to take away
Batwara 1947 is ultimately built around themes of brotherhood, coexistence and respect for another person’s faithSantoshi invited religious leaders from different parts of India to watch the film and said their response to its message gave him satisfaction.
The film draws from Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya NaiSantoshi said Wajahat was involved during the screenplay development and was happy with how the story was adapted for the screenAlthough the film received a lukewarm response at the box office Santoshi said reactions from people leaving theatres changed how he viewed its performance.
Released on August 14, Batwara 1947 reportedly earned around Rs 33.60 crore net in India during its first weekApart from Sunny Deol, the film also featured Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal and Abhimanyu Singh in crucial roles.
