The trailer of Batwara 1947, produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions, was released on Tuesday, giving audiences a glimpse into a story set during the 1947 Partition. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the film features Shabana Azmi, Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta in key roles.
Set during one of the most painful chapters in the subcontinent's history, Batwara 1947 revolves around a family whose lives are shattered by violence, displacement and the chaos surrounding Partition. The trailer focuses on the emotional impact of the tragedy while exploring themes of humanity, resilience and hope during a period of widespread unrest.
The trailer begins with Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta, who portray a married couple celebrating India's Independence. Their joy soon turns into uncertainty after the announcement of Partition forces them to leave their home and move to the newly created Pakistan. As violence spreads, Sunny's character struggles to protect his family from the turmoil around them.
After crossing the border, the family is given a haveli that is still occupied by Shabana Azmi's character, an elderly Hindu woman who refuses to leave her ancestral home. As communal tensions intensify, Sunny's character chooses to defend her and stands against religious hatred. In one emotional scene, he says, "Mandir todna Islam nahi hai (Destroying a temple is not Islam)," followed by another impactful dialogue: "Har bachche ka pehla mazhab maa hota hai. Maa ko Hindu Musalman mein na batiye. Maa apne aap mein ek mazhab hai (Every child's first religion is their mother. Don't divide a mother into Hindu or Muslim. A mother is a religion in itself)."
The trailer also features Karan Deol as Sunny's on-screen son, who warns those threatening their family that his father will go to any extent to protect them.
The preview portrays the pain and devastation of Partition, showing families being forced to abandon their homes as fear and violence spread across communities. It follows characters caught in a conflict where identity, religion and the right to live in one's own home become questions of survival. Despite the backdrop of hatred and division, the film highlights the importance of compassion and humanity.
Apart from the lead actors, the film also stars Karan Deol, Ali Fazal and Abhimanyu Singh.
Batwara 1947 reunites Rajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol nearly 30 years after their previous collaboration. The film's music has been composed by AR Rahman, while the lyrics have been penned by Javed Akhtar.
Produced by Aamir Khan and Aparna Purohit under Aamir Khan Productions, Batwara 1947 is set to release worldwide in theatres on August 14, coinciding with Partition Day.
