Batwara 1947 director defends film's message amid box office decline

Director Rajkumar Santoshi is defending his film ‘Batwara 1947’ against allegations of being pro-Pakistan propaganda, asserting that the movie focuses on humanity and religious coexistence rather than hostility. Santoshi stated that the film aims to show that humanity stands above all religions and that he is ‘pro-India and pro-humanity.’

The period drama, starring Sunny Deol as a Muslim character, has faced significant box office challenges. After an initial boost from the Independence Day weekend, the film has seen a substantial decline in collections, earning approximately ₹33.60 crore to ₹34.35 crore net in India by its eighth day. Santoshi noted that the film’s ‘A’ certificate likely impacted its commercial performance, though he observed that families are still attending screenings.

Musically, the film has released an extended version of the song ‘Tabassum,’ composed by A. R. Rahman and featuring vocals by Sonu Nigam and Heer. Despite the mixed critical reception and disappointing box office numbers for the Aamir Khan Productions project, Santoshi maintains that the film’s message of love overcoming religious division will eventually serve as a benchmark.