Batwara 1947

India’s independence from British rule came at a price. As the British left India, they ravaged and divided the country - emotionally, based on religion and geographically. The happiness of independence was far less on 15 August 1947, as so many families were destroyed; people were separated from their loved ones, their homes, and their motherland. The Partition led to the birth of Pakistan but also to a great Hindu-Muslim divide, an enmity that continues to this day between the two countries. Bollywood has made innumerable stories on India’s Independence and the partition. Most have narrated stories of brutality and riots that preceded partition. Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi’s latest release, Batwara 1947, flips the narrative a bit- telling the story of a Muslim family in Lahore in the aftermath of partition. Santoshi teams up with Sunny Deol, with whom he has delivered iconic films like Damini, Ghatak and more. Deol and Santoshi collaborate after decades, making Batwara 1947 special. The film also features Shabana Azmi, marks Preity Zinta’s comeback to Bollywood after a long time and has Aamir Khan as the producer. With such impressive names attached to the project, expectations are bound to be high for Batwara 1947. So, does it deliver? Let’s find out.

Like the Partition, there are two opposing points of view on the film that celebrates the reunion of Sunny Deol with director Rajkumar Santoshi. Preaching humanity over religious bigotry, Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai on which the film is based, emphasises that Islam is a religion of peace, wanton killing has no place in a true Muslim’s life. Apart from the Hindu-Muslim amity message which is relevant at all times, Sunny Deol cast as family man and printing press owner Sikander Mirza stands out for his fire and calm. Driven by circumstances to leave Meerut and settle down in Lahore, Deol brings power to the screen like Mirza was tailored for him. Soft with family which includes the elderly Hindu Mai (Shabana Azmi as Durga Devi) who stayed behind in the mansion allotted to the Mirzas. Ready with his dhai kilo ka haath to protect his loved ones, especially when provoked by Yakub Khan (Abhimanyu Singh), the politician with Islamic bigotry as his main card who targets the Hindu lady in the Mirza parivar.