Bollywood actor Sunny Deol spoke about Pakistan during a press event for his upcoming film “Batwara 1947,” which is set during the 1947 Partition. His son, Karan Deol, joined him at the event.
When a journalist asked him to share his views on Pakistan, Deol talked about how India and Pakistan were once a single country before Partition split them apart.
He recalled that his late father, veteran actor Dharmendra, used to call Pakistan his “mausi,” meaning aunt. Deol explained that because the two countries were once one, people from both sides remain connected in some way, no matter how they look at it today.
However, the 68-year-old actor did not want to discuss the current tensions between the neighbouring countries further. He said his job was to tell stories as an actor, not take political stands, and that he and his team keep their films away from politics.
“Batwara 1947” tells the story of a Muslim family that moves from Lucknow to Lahore during Partition and is given an old haveli to live in. The house actually belongs to a Hindu woman who refuses to leave, and Deol’s character helps her fight to stay in her own home.
The film reunites Deol with director Rajkumar Santoshi, following their earlier collaborations on “Ghayal,” “Damini,” and “Ghatak.” Produced by Aamir Khan, the movie also stars Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, and Ali Fazal. It releases in cinemas on August 13.
