Actor Recalls Dharmendra’s View During Film Promotion
Indian actor Sunny Deol has triggered a heated online debate after recalling his late father Dharmendra’s views about Pakistan.
The remarks came during a promotional event for Deol’s upcoming partition-era film, Batwara 1947.
A journalist asked the actor to describe his feelings about Pakistan as a country and comment on its current environment.
Deol avoided giving a direct political response. Instead, he referred to a statement frequently associated with his father.
He said India and Pakistan were once part of the same country. He then recalled Dharmendra describing India as his mother and Pakistan as his maternal aunt.
According to Deol, people across the two countries remain connected through history, culture and family relationships.
His remarks appeared to promote a softer view of relations between the neighbouring states. However, they quickly became controversial on social media.
Dharmendra died on November 24, 2025, at the age of 89. The veteran actor had worked in more than 300 films during a career spanning over six decades.
Deol Says Actors Should Avoid Political Arguments
Deol declined to discuss Pakistan in greater detail during the media interaction.
He said actors and filmmakers select stories and present them through cinema. He argued that creative work should not always be pushed in a political direction.
The actor maintained that he did not want the promotional event to become a political debate.
His attempt to separate cinema from politics, however, attracted criticism because of his previous film roles and political background.
Deol has frequently appeared in strongly nationalistic productions. His most recognised films include Border, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Gadar 2 and Border 2.
Several of these productions centre on military conflict or tensions involving India and Pakistan.
The actor also previously represented the Bharatiya Janata Party in parliament.
Critics therefore questioned whether Deol could distance himself from politics after benefiting from nationalistic themes in cinema and electoral campaigns.
Some social media users accused him of changing his position while promoting a film connected to Pakistan and the 1947 partition.
Others described his comments as opportunistic. They argued that his peaceful message appeared inconsistent with the tone of some of his most commercially successful films.
Similar criticism emerged in 2023 when Deol said ordinary people in India and Pakistan wanted peace. At the time, users questioned his comments because of the anti-Pakistan themes associated with the Gadar films.
Other users interpreted his latest statement as support for Pakistan and criticised him for using a family relationship to describe the neighbouring country.
However, Deol did not directly endorse the Pakistani government or its policies. His remarks focused mainly on the shared history of the two countries and his father’s personal description.
Partition Film Adds to Sensitivity Around Remarks
The controversy has gained further attention because Batwara 1947 is set during the 1947 partition of British India.
The film follows a Muslim family forced to leave its home and move to Pakistan during widespread violence.
After arriving in Lahore, the family discovers that a Hindu woman is living in the house assigned to them.
The discovery creates a serious dispute. The situation later develops into a wider story involving displacement, identity, grief and religious division.
The film is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan.
Its cast includes Sunny Deol, Karan Deol, Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Ali Fazal and Abhimanyu Singh.
The production is based on a stage play about a Hindu woman who remains in Lahore after partition while a Muslim refugee family is allocated her home.
The film is scheduled to reach cinemas around the Independence Day period on August 14, 2026.
Its sensitive historical subject has placed greater attention on statements made by cast members during the promotional campaign.
Relations between India and Pakistan remain politically tense. Public comments about either country frequently produce strong reactions on social media.
Deol’s remarks have therefore divided online audiences.
Some people criticised the actor for appearing sympathetic towards Pakistan. Others defended his statement as an acknowledgement of the shared history and human connections created before partition.
The controversy also highlights the difficult position faced by actors promoting films about politically sensitive historical events.
While Deol attempted to avoid a political discussion, his previous roles, electoral career and the subject of his new film ensured that his comments became part of a wider political debate.
