Shabana Azmi Questions Audience Acceptance in Batwara 1947
Shabana Azmi reflects on the box office failure of Batwara 1947, attributing it to audience reluctance to accept Sunny Deol as a Muslim character.
Batwara 1947 has earned only Rs 53 crore.
Shabana Azmi compares Sunny Deol's role to Amitabh Bachchan's.
The film's reception has been confusing for audiences.
Shabana Azmi has expressed her surprise at the poor box office performance of Batwara 1947, which has grossed merely Rs 53 crore since its release on August 14. She noted that while many viewers praised the film's message about humanity, the audience turnout was disappointing, leading to mixed reactions among those who did attend.
Azmi highlighted a potential issue with audience acceptance of Sunny Deol as a Muslim character, contrasting it with Amitabh Bachchan's successful portrayals of similar roles. She also mentioned that some viewers mistakenly believed Deol's character was Pakistani, indicating a disconnect in understanding the film's narrative. Despite the film's political correctness, Azmi lamented the current environment that makes discussing topics related to India and Pakistan challenging.
