"This is my mother, and that is my aunt."
Actor Sunny Deol has shared a personal perspective on Pakistan during a press conference for his upcoming film Batwara 1947.
The 68-year-old was accompanied by his son Karan Deol during the media interaction when the topic of Pakistan was raised.
A journalist asked Deol to comment on Pakistan given that his new film is set during the historic Partition of the subcontinent in 1947.
In his response, the actor spoke warmly about the shared history of India and Pakistan before the devastating events of Partition.
He recalled how his late father, the legendary star Dharmendra, used to affectionately refer to Pakistan as his “mausi,” meaning aunt.
Deol said: “We don’t think like that because the entire country was once one.
“As my father said, ‘This is my mother, and that is my aunt.’ You all know that well.
“In one way or another, we are all connected.”
His words carried a gentle and humanising quality, rooted in his father’s longstanding emotional connection to the undivided subcontinent.
Dharmendra, who was born in pre-Partition Punjab, had always maintained a deep and sentimental bond with the region now part of Pakistan.
Despite the warmth of his initial response, Deol declined to go any further into commenting on Pakistan or the current bilateral tensions.
He was clear and firm about his position as an artist and his reluctance to wade into matters of political commentary or debate.
“I don’t want to get into all that. We are actors, we are storytellers.
“We choose stories and make films. We don’t take them in a political direction, and we don’t want to.”
“That’s why I won’t comment on those matters.”
His measured and restrained response drew attention for its sincerity and for the deeply personal family memory at its heart.
Batwara 1947 tells the story of a Muslim family that migrates from Lucknow to Lahore during the traumatic events of Partition.
Upon their arrival, the family is allotted an old haveli that still belongs to a Hindu woman who firmly refuses to leave her home.
Deol’s character and his family stand beside the woman and help her fight to remain in her property despite mounting and dangerous opposition.
The film’s premise places human connection and shared dignity at the very centre of one of history’s most painful and divisive chapters.
Batwara 1947 marks a reunion between Sunny Deol and acclaimed director Rajkumar Santoshi, with whom he shares a rich and celebrated creative history.
The two previously collaborated on some of Bollywood’s most iconic films, including Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, all of which became landmark releases.
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