It was in 2012 that I first watched the brilliant play Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya, O Jamyai Nai! I was spellbound, and Asgar Wajahat’s story cemented a place in my heart. It has been more than a decade, but whenever I find an arts and culture enthusiast, I suggest they watch this play whenever they get a chance! Years later, I was super excited when it was announced that Aamir Khan, Sunny Deol, and Rajkumar Santoshi had joined hands to turn this beautifully chaotic and heartbreaking story set against the backdrop of India – Pakistan partition into a film. I was excited. Looking at the teaser of Batwara 1947, I am overwhelmed!
Looking at Sunny Deol, stepping into the shoes of Sikandar Mirza already seems heroic. But do you really know who Sikandar Mirza is? Well, this film was earlier titled Lahore 1947, but the title was changed to avoid political controversy, and that is where my heart sank a bit. Will this film actually dare to turn the original play into a cinematic piece? Because that would need a lot of guts! You ask why? Here. I will decode the original story of Jis Lahore Ni Dekhya, O Jamyai Nai!
Is Sunny Deol Sikandar Mirza In Batwara 1947?
If the film is an exact adaptation of the play, then Sunny Deol is playing Sikandar Mirza in the film. A man from Lucknow, who chose to leave India and settle in Lahore, amidst the partition of India and Pakistan! Mirza comes to Lahore from Lucknow, along with his family – his wife Hameeda, son Javed, and daughter Tanvir!
The Protagonist – Mai
The protagonist, as per the play, is a woman in her 70s. She is called Mai by the colony in Lahore, where she has lived since her birth, along with her son. Sikh, by religion, the woman lives in a mansion and is waiting for her son Ratan, a driver by profession, to return. One day, amidst all the riot, Ratan left Lahore for some work but never returned.
Story Of Batwara 1947
As per Asghar Wajahat’s story, the Mirzas – Sikandar, with wife Hamida, son Javed, and daughter Tanvir, are allotted a haveli in Lahore, once they take refuge in Pakistan amidst the India-Pakistan partition, leaving their ancestral home in Lucknow, to be with ‘their’ people in Pakistan! But the haveli is owned by Mai, a Sikh woman, and her son, and she refuses to leave Pakistan! She is being told that Hindus are not allowed to live in Lahore, but she loves Lahore; it is her land, and she refuses to leave it even if it leads to her death!
Slowly, Mirzas and Mai develop a bond, and they become her protectors! Do they win in protecting her and let her live in Lahore? Can Hindus and Muslims live in Pakistan with peace and harmony amidst all the bloodshed in both countries? This forms the entire crux of the story! I wonder if Rajkumar Santoshi, Aamir Khan, and Sunny Deol’s team would be able to pull such a sensitive story without playing with the characters and their religions! If they pull it off, I will be happy crying for sure!
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