Shabana Azmi says Sunny Deol ‘became my protector’ after humiliating scene in Batwara 1947 | Bollywood News

6 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jul 28, 2026 03:52 PM After nearly three decades, filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi and actor Sunny Deol are reuniting after delivering the iconic trilogy of Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, films that channelled the rage of the common man against a broken system. The duo is now returning with the Partition-era actioner Batwara 1947, based on Asghar Wajahat’s acclaimed play, Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai. The trailer of the film was launched in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon in the presence of the principal cast, including Shabana Azmi, along with lyric Javed Akhtar and several other members of the film.
‘This film has been a lifelong pursuit’
Speaking about the long journey behind the film, Santoshi revealed that Batwara 1947 has been more than two decades in the making: “This film is not just a film for me, it is a penance, a lifelong pursuit. I first got the opportunity to read this play in 2009. Since 2010, we’ve been trying to make this film. It’s been nearly 15 years. Then I narrated it Sunny saab, and he was equally passionate about it. Both of us have spent nearly 15–16 years trying to get this film made. But we never found the kind of support we needed to make it the way we envisioned.”
He went on to recall how Aamir Khan eventually came on board as the producer, making the project possible. “Thankfully, when Aamir Khan heard the story, he loved it as well. He encouraged us, saying, ‘Let’s make it.’ And that’s how the film finally began. For that, I am deeply grateful to him, and I am immensely grateful to Sunny saab as well. As I said, this film has been a tapasya for me. And today, after so many years, the day has finally come when I can share its trailer with all of you.”
‘I dedicate this film to my mother’
Sunny Deol, who appeared visibly emotional during the event, reflected on his decades-long creative partnership with Santoshi. “Raj and I have always shared a special creative partnership. Somehow, whenever either of us brings up an idea, it just feels right. If the story is good, both of us get equally excited because our wavelengths match. We constantly challenge each other while we’re working. Of course, there are retakes, and there are disagreements at times, but the end result always turns out beautifully. It’s been a while since we worked together, but all three of our previous films are still remembered. That’s precisely why we’ve been given another opportunity to make Batwara.”
He added that the films they have made together have always been rooted in society. “Our films have always been connected to society. We don’t make films to create controversy, nor have we ever wanted to. That’s never been our intention. I believe our stories are sincere and pure. When people watch them, they connect emotionally. They find a sense of belonging, and they begin reflecting on moments in their own lives, whether they’ve experienced something similar or not. That’s the kind of cinema I love to make, and it’s the kind of cinema I’ve always made.”
He also spoke about sharing screen space with Shabana Azmi for the first time, dedicating the film to his mother and mothers everywhere. “I was working with Shabana ji for the first time, and it was an absolute pleasure. It never felt like acting, it genuinely felt like the relationship between a mother and a son. That’s the beauty of this film. As I also wrote in my post, I dedicate this film to my mother and to all the mothers of the world.”
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‘Sunny Deol became my protector’
Shabana Azmi, too, turned emotional as she recalled one of the most difficult scenes she had to perform in the film. “There is one scene in this film where, personally, as a human being, I felt deeply humiliated, completely stripped of any dignity. You catch a brief glimpse of it in the trailer, when the villain drags me and tears my kurta. At that moment, I don’t think I have ever felt so vulnerable or so exposed as I did then, as a human being. And believe you me, when Sunny came and placed that dupatta over me, in real life, as Shabana Azmi, not just as my character, he became my son, he became my protector. I hugged him with every iota of my being and said, ‘Thank God he’s there to save me.’”
Santoshi also praised Azmi’s commitment to the film, recalling how she rearranged her schedule despite being committed to an international project. “When I told her the story she said, ‘This film is very important. It has to be made.’ At the time, she was already committed to a Hollywood project, perhaps a film or a something with Spielberg. Yet she immediately got up, called her secretary, rearranged the dates that needed to be changed, and went out of her way to make time for this film. I will remain grateful to her for the rest of my life because she didn’t merely play the character of Mai, she lived it.”
Dharmendra’s blessing with Batwara
The filmmaker also revealed that Batwara 1947 was among the last films watched the late Dharmendra, whose blessings, he said, remain with the project.”This film has been blessed Dharam ji in so many ways. When he heard the narration, he became very emotional; his eyes welled up with tears, and he gave us his wholehearted blessings. I also believe Batwara was also the last film he watched. After seeing it, he said, ‘Raj, this film will be a huge success. You all have done wonderful work.’”
About Batwara 1947
Set in Lahore against the backdrop of the Partition of India in 1947 and the division of Punjab, Batwara 1947 stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh, Khushi Hajare and Kanikka Kapur. Backed Aamir Khan, the film is scheduled to release in cinemas on August 14, 2026.
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Anas Arif is a prolific Entertainment Journal and Cinematic Analyst at The Indian Express, where he specializes in the intersection of Indian pop culture, auteur-driven cinema, and industrial ethics. His writing is defined a deep-seated commitment to documenting the evolving landscape of Indian entertainment through the lens of critical theory and narrative authorship.
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As a core member of The Indian Express entertainment vertical, Anas has cultivated a unique beat that prioritizes the “craft behind the celebrity.” He has interviewed a vast spectrum of industry veterans, from blockbuster directors like Vijay Krishna Acharya, Sujoy Ghosh, Maneesh Sharma to experimental filmmakers and screenwriters like Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Varun Grover, Rajat Kapoor amongst several others. His career is characterized a “Journalism of Courage” approach, where he frequently tackles the ethical implications of mainstream cinema and the socio-political subtext within popular media. He is also the host of the YouTube series Cult Comebacks, where he talks to filmmakers about movies that may not have succeeded initially but have, over time, gained a cult following. The show aims to explore films as works of art, rather than merely commercial ventures designed to earn box office revenue.
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Anas’s expertise lies in his ability to deconstruct cinematic works beyond surface-level reviews. His focus areas include:

Auteur Studies: Detailed retrospectives and analyses of filmmakers such as Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Kashyap, and Neeraj Ghaywan, often exploring their central philosophies and creative evolutions.
Cinematic Deconstruction: Examining technical and narrative choices, such as the use of aspect ratios in independent films (Sabar Bonda) or the structural rhythm of iconic soundtracks (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge).
Industrial & Social Ethics: Fearless critique of commercial blockbusters, particularly regarding the promotion of bigoted visions or the marginalization of communities in mainstream scripts.
Exclusive Long-form Interviews: Conducting high-level dialogues with actors and creators to uncover archival anecdotes and future-looking industry insights.

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Anas Arif has established himself as a trusted voice consently moving away from standard PR-driven journalism. Whether he is interrogating the “mythology of Shah Rukh Khan” in modern sequels or providing a space for independent filmmakers to discuss the “arithmetic of karma,” his work is rooted in objectivity and extensive research. Readers look to Anas for an educated viewpoint that treats entertainment not just as a commodity, but as a critical reflection of the country’s collective conscience. … Read More

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