The release of Batwara 1947 has reignited discussions about how Hindi cinema portrays action heroes. With Sunny Deol leading the film, many viewers naturally compared its action and central character with the larger-than-life style seen in recent films such as Ranveer Singh ‘s smashing blockbuster Dhurandhar franchise . Director Rajkumar Santoshi has now addressed those comparisons and explained why he sees a clear difference between the two characters.
While praising Ranveer’s performance, Santoshi said his own approach to action is rooted in purpose rather than simply displaying physical power.
Rajkumar Santoshi on action and masculinity
In a conversation with India Today, Rajkumar Santoshi spoke about the comparison between Batwara 1947 and Dhurandhar. He praised Aditya Dhar calling him a “very fine director” and also acknowledged the success of Uri: The Surgical Strike. Santoshi said Ranveer Singh had “fantastically performed” in Dhurandhar.
However Santoshi said he has a different view of how masculinity should be presented through action characters. He explained that he is not against muscular action but believes violence should have a meaningful reason behind it.
Santoshi said, “Today people are using bad words, abusing, drinking; it’s so cheap. Sunny has played action heroes with dignity. He has played the role of a true macho guy. Those are powerful and memorable performances. We (Sunny and I) will do more action films, but with standards and class. Not to show off strength, but with good reasoning. There should be a good purpose to fight and hit a man.”
Why Santoshi sees Sunny Deol’s character differently?
The filmmaker also discussed the difference between Sunny Deol’s character Sikandar Mirza in Batwara 1947 and Ranveer Singh’s Hamza Ali Mazari in Dhurandhar. Santoshi acknowledged that someone who has gone through extreme torment and torture could react in the way Ranveer’s character does.
For Santoshi the key difference lies beyond physical strength. He wanted Sikandar Mirza to be defined by the choices he makes while facing difficult circumstances. The character’s courage and willingness to take a stand are central to the story.
Santoshi described Sikandar Mirza as “the most courageous character I have written”.
He explained that fighting an army or a group of people is one thing but standing against fanaticism in the present time requires a different kind of courage. The director said, “One can fight with a single army, or a group of people, but to fight and take a stand against fanaticism in today’s time, impossible. Nobody will dare to do that.”
Batwara 1947 box office performance
Batwara 1947 marks the reunion of Sunny Deol and Rajkumar Santoshi after nearly three decades. The two last worked together on the 1996 action film Ghatak. The new film has received a mixed response from audiences and critics. Its domestic collection stood at around Rs 34.47 crore net after its first week. The film also starred Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal and Abhimanyu Singh in crucial roles.
About Dhurandhar franchise
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the Dhurandhar spy-thriller franchise follows undercover Indian intelligence agent Jaskirat Singh Rangi aka Hamza Ali Mazari, played by Ranveer Singh. Working deep undercover in Karachi, he infiltrates dangerous criminal syndicates and the ISI-underworld nexus with the aim of dismantling terror networks.
The franchise features a star-studded cast including Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi and Sara Arjun along with talented supporting cast members. According to tracking site Sacnilk, the franchise went on to become a major box-office success.
The first instalment earned Rs 1,307.35 crore worldwide. Its blockbuster sequel Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge took the franchise’s combined worldwide collection to a historic Rs 3,100 crore, making it one of the most successful action duologies in Indian cinema.