Sunny Deol emphasises India-Pakistan connection

Actor Sunny Deol has spoken warmly about Pakistan, saying people on both sides of the border remain connected despite political divisions, while promoting his upcoming film Batwara 1947, which is set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition.

Deol made the remarks during a press conference for the historical drama, previously titled Lahore 1947, where he reflected on the shared history of India and Pakistan and recalled his late father Dharmendra's views on the relationship between the two countries.

"Look, we did not shoot there; it was entirely filmed in India. We were all one country at one point. As my dad used to say, 'This (India) is my mother and that (Pakistan) is my maternal aunt.' So, in a way, we are all connected," Deol said.

Dharmendra, who passed away last November, had often spoken in favour of stronger ties between India and Pakistan. However, Deol made it clear that he did not want the discussion to shift towards politics. "I don't wish to get into all that. We are actors. We are filmmakers. We don't want to take things in a political direction," he added.

The actor's remarks sparked mixed reactions online. While many praised his message of shared heritage and unity, others questioned the comments, with some social media users contrasting them with the nationalist roles Deol has portrayed throughout his career.

One user wrote, "Sunny Deol in movies vs Sunny Deol in Pakistan," comparing the actor's conciliatory remarks with his on-screen image.

Others pointed to films such as Gadar, known for their strong patriotic themes, joking about the contrast between Deol's real-life comments and the characters he has played. The discussion quickly gave rise to memes and humorous posts across social media.

Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, Batwara 1947 revisits one of the defining chapters in the subcontinent's history through a story set during the Partition. The film explores themes of displacement, identity, family and the human cost of political division, and is scheduled for release on August 14.

One of the most commercially successful actors in the history of Indian cinema, he has worked in more than 100 films in a career spanning over four decades. He is particularly known for his angry action hero persona and various iconic dialogues, which have made Deol an enduring cultural icon of masculinity. Deol has won several awards including two National Film Awards, two Filmfare Awards, two Zee Cine Awards and one Screen Award. He was a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, representing Gurdaspur in Punjab as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party from 2019 to 2024.

The elder son of actor Dharmendra, Deol made his acting debut opposite newcomer Amrita Singh in the romantic drama Betaab (1983), a major commercial success, and had further box-office hits in action films such as Arjun (1985), Paap Ki Duniya (1988) and Tridev (1989).