The release of Rajkumar Santoshi’s Partition drama Batwara 1947 has brought action superstar Sunny Deol and veteran actor Shabana Azmi together on the big screen. While the duo shares a poignant dynamic in this historical saga, it suddenly brought back a blurred memory from the past! An interview, where Sunny Paaji blasted the veteran actress for criticizing Gadar, which turned into a hysteria in 2001! After Gadar’s success, the Deol superstar sat down for one of his boldest and bravest interviews, in which he addressed all the criticism of the film!
When Gadar hit theaters in 2001, it created unprecedented box office history. However, alongside its staggering commercial success, the Anil Sharma directorial faced intense political and social scrutiny for its portrayal of Partition and cross-border tensions.
Among its vocal critics was liberal icon Shabana Azmi, whose harsh observations about the film’s character dynamics sparked a massive debate. Shabana Azmi had publicly expressed concern over the underlying narrative choices in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. In a report by the BBC, she called Sunny Deol’s film provocative!
The report quoted Shabana Azmi saying, “Gadar confuses the issue of nationalism, religion and identities without dealing with the complexities of the pain the Partition created in its wake.” She also described the film as “provocative, which positions Muslims as the Other.
Sunny Deol Hit Back: Shabana Is Supposed To Be Well Read!
Sunny Deol, known for his straightforward and emotional stance, was visibly angered by the backlash. In the Filmfare interview, shared by India Forums, the actor didn’t hold back, singling out Shabana Azmi for her remarks, and said, “Shabana Azmi’s comments really disappointed me. She’s supposed to be educated and well-read, and then she goes ahead and makes inflammatory statements against the film. Those who made a noise about the film were only trying to be in the news. The success of Gadar proves that there wasn’t anything wrong with it… its public acceptance has shut up everyone who had anything negative to say about it.”
The actor further shared his anger and said, “I was upset. The story was set during the Partition, but there was no intention to hurt anyone’s feelings or stir up trouble. The two main protagonists are very pure and innocent. Those who thought the film projected an anti-national stance… those who insisted that we were out to hurt religious sentiments… have warped minds!”
Life Comes Full Circle In Batwara 1947
Cut to 2026, and life seems to have come full circle for both stalwarts. In Rajkumar Santoshi’s Batwara 1947, the political and social subtext flips the story, where Sunny Deol plays a Muslim migrant in Lahore, Sikandar, who uses his physical strength and conviction to shelter and protect an elderly Hindu woman, played by none other than Shabana Azmi!
Well, a very small world indeed!
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