Shabana Azmi addresses ‘Batwara 1947’ box office failure

Actor Shabana Azmi has expressed disappointment regarding the underwhelming box office performance of the film ‘Batwara 1947’. Despite receiving positive feedback from individuals regarding its message of humanity, the film has struggled commercially since its August 14, 2026, release.

Azmi suggested that audience resistance may stem from an inability to accept Sunny Deol in a Muslim role, contrasting this with previous actors like Amitabh Bachchan who successfully portrayed Muslim characters. She questioned whether the current social climate is contributing to such divisions in audience perception.

Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan, the film is set against the backdrop of the Partition of India. The cast includes Preity Zinta, Karan Deol, and Ali Fazal, and the story is inspired by the Urdu play ‘Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya O Jamyai Nai’.