Sunny Deol's Muslim Role Hurt Batwara 1947? Director Rajkumar Santoshi Rejects ... - NDTV
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Shabana Azmi thinks Sunny Deol playing a Muslim hurt Batwara 1947 at the box office — director Rajkumar Santoshi flatly disagrees.
Audience Reception TheoryStar Image TheoryAttribution BiasIdentity Politics in Media
Theory Briefing
- Shabana Azmi publicly suggested that casting Sunny Deol as a Muslim character may have damaged the film's commercial performance.
- Director Rajkumar Santoshi rejected her theory, indicating he sees a different reason for the film's box-office outcome.
- The dispute highlights how audience identity and star image can be blamed — or cleared — when a film underperforms.