Shabana Azmi has expressed her surprise over the poor box office performance of Batwara 1947. According to the veteran actor, several people who watched the film told her that they genuinely liked its story and the message of humanity it tried to convey. However, that appreciation did not translate into enough people actually going to theatres.
The film features Sunny Deol as Sikandar Mirza, an Indian Muslim whose life is turned upside down during the Partition. Azmi believes that one possible reason for the audience's response could be the difficulty some viewers had in accepting Deol in the role of a Muslim character.
She compared the situation with Amitabh Bachchan, pointing out that the veteran actor had played Muslim characters in films such as Coolie and Deewaar, and audiences had accepted those portrayals without much difficulty.
Azmi also highlighted another issue surrounding the film. She said that even some people who have watched Batwara 1947 still believe that Sunny Deol is playing a Pakistani character. However, that is not the case. Director Rajkumar Santoshi has previously clarified that Deol plays an Indian Muslim who is forced to move to Pakistan during Partition in order to protect himself and his family.
Speaking about the film's subject, Azmi said that stories dealing with the Partition and the relationship between <a href="/category/india" class="text-brand font-semibold hover:underline">India</a> and Pakistan have become increasingly difficult to present in the current environment. She maintained that Batwara 1947 is ultimately a story about humanity and does not promote a politically incorrect message.
The film has received a mixed response from critics, with its Partition-era setting, screenplay and Sunny Deol's performance becoming major talking points. Despite the attention around the film, however, its theatrical performance has remained disappointing.