Now Reading: Sunny Deol’s Muslim role made investors hesitant, says Santoshi
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Sunny Deol’s Muslim role made investors hesitant, says Santoshi
Director Rajkumar Santoshi has said investors were hesitant to back 'Batwara 1947' because Sunny Deol plays a Muslim character. Santoshi told Galatta India that financiers wanted Deol in a conventional action film like 'Ghayal' or 'Ghatak' rather than a serious Partition drama. He clarified that Deol's character is an Indian Muslim forced to migrate to Pakistan, not a Pakistani, and called the hesitation a reflection of a trend where even mentioning Pakistan is seen as anti-national.
In a separate interview with Moneycontrol, Santoshi admitted the team had thought about whether Deol's role would hurt box office prospects. He said the casting was deliberate, chosen to give a mainstream reach to a story about a 'good Muslim' fighting fanaticism. Santoshi revealed that Aamir Khan had offered to produce the film if no other producer came forward. The film released on August 14, 2026.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both stories are from the same outlet, so no stance contrast exists, the coverage is uniform straight reporting. Santoshi's own words drive the narrative: he identifies a climate where Partition stories and Muslim characters scare investors, and he frames Deol's casting as both risky and necessary for reach. The measured reading is that the film faced real financial friction despite Deol's star power. Watch whether the film's box office performance proves Santoshi's risk calculation right or wrong.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2) (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
