Batwara 1947
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| Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Rajkumar Santoshi |
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| Produced by | Aamir Khan |
| Story by | Asghar Wajahat Rajkumar Santoshi |
| Starring | Sunny Deol Preity Zinta Shabana Azmi Karan Deol Ali Fazal Abhimanyu Singh Khushi Hajare Kanikka Kapur |
| Music by | Songs: A. R. Rahman Lyrics: Javed Akhtar |
| Cinematography | Santosh Sivan |
| Edited by | |
| Production company | Aamir Khan Productions |
| Distributed by | |
| Release date | August 14, 2026 |
| Running time | |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | |
| Box office | |
Batwara 1947 is an Indian Hindi-language period drama film co-written and directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions. Set in Lahore during the Partition of India in 1947, the film is based on Asghar Wajahat's acclaimed play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya O Jamya E Nai. The film stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh, Khushi Hajare, and Kanikka Kapur. It was scheduled for theatrical released on 14 August 2026.
Plot
The story takes place in Lahore, Pakistan, shortly after the Partition of India in 1947. Both India and Pakistan are suffering from a massive refugee problem, where a lot of people have had to leave their homelands.
A Muslim man named Sikander Mirza arrives at Lahore with his wife Hameeda, his son Javed, and daughter Tanvir, leaving Lucknow, India. The family gets a haveli, which once belonged to the Hindu family.
However, as they enter the haveli, they meet an old Hindu woman named Mai. Her family had fled to India; however, she chose to remain in Pakistan. She tells them that the haveli is hers, and she will not leave it.
Unfortunately, things get more difficult due to Yaqoob Pehalwan, who is a strong opponent of Hindus. He tries to make Mai leave the house, but he is warned by the local Maulvi that in Islam, one should respect people.
Surprisingly, despite all the problems, Sikander's family befriends Mai. They exchange memories about their native lands.
Subsequently, Mai passes away. The Maulvi believes that the funeral ceremony for her should be held as per Hindu rituals. Feeling upset about this, Pehalwan and his friends kill the Maulvi.
Despite threats, Sikander, his family, along with other good souls of Lahore join hands to perform Mai’s funeral ceremony as per her religion. Sikander sets fire to her body on the bank of Ravi River, which proves that humanity can prevail over religion-based hate.
Cast
- Sunny Deol as Sikander Mirza
- Preity Zinta as Hamida Mirza
- Shabana Azmi as Durgavati Devi (Mai)
- Karan Deol as Javed Mirza
- Ali Fazal as Nasir Kazmi
- Abhimanyu Singh as Yaqoob Pehalwan
- Khushi Hajare as Tanvir Mirza
- Kanikka Kapur
- Parminder Singh Kainth as Muhammad Shah
Production
Then in February 2024, Aamir Khan came on board as producer, through Aamir Khan Productions, and it was a big note for the project. The film is an adaptation of Asghar Wajahat's well known play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya O Jamya E Nai. Rajkumar Santoshi wrote the screenplay, while the story and dialogues were shaped by Santoshi along with Wajahat. On 9 June 2026, the makers decided to switch things and officially changed the title from Lahore 1947 to Batwara 1947 via a motion poster.
Filming
Principal photography started in February 2024, and wrapped up in October 2025. The production tried to bring back the atmosphere of Lahore and undivided Punjab, using grand sets constructed in Lucknow and Mumbai, plus location shoots that took place in Punjab and Varanasi.
One of the biggest, most involving segments was the large train scene showing migration during the Partition of India. That part was shot across several weeks, using specially designed period railway sets, with hundreds of background artists standing by, for crowd density.
Soundtrack
The film’s music is composed by A. R. Rahman, while the lyrics are penned by Javed Akhtar .
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahaan Chale Gaye Ho Ram | Javed Akhtar | A. R. Rahman | Shaan, Anuradha Paudwal | 4:20 |
Release
Theatrical
The film was originally scheduled to release on 23 January 2025, but it got delayed because of post production stuff, like finishing touches. It was released on 14 August 2026 , and it also lines up with the Independence Day weekend.
Distribution
As for distribution, the details still have not been officially announced.
Marketing
Before things were finalized, the film was promoted under the earlier name Lahore 1947 . Later, it was officially renamed Batwara 1947 on 9 June 2026. The makers also unveiled a motion poster, and from that poster they announced the updated title, plus the date for the theatrical release.
Reception
Critical response
The film has not been released yet.
Box office
The film has not been released yet.
Box Office Collection
| Date | Day | Collection | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The film has not been released yet. | |||