Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 29: Actor Shabana Azmi has expressed surprise over the poor box-office performance of Batwara 1947, which released on August 14 and has reportedly earned around Rs 53 crore so far.

The film, which features Sunny Deol in a Muslim character, released on the same day as Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2. While Batwara 1947 has struggled at the box office, Awarapan 2 has crossed the Rs 200-crore mark.

Reflecting on the film's reception, Azmi suggested that audiences may have found it difficult to accept Deol in the role of a Muslim character. She compared the situation with Amitabh Bachchan, saying the veteran actor had played Muslim characters during the peak of his career and was widely accepted by audiences.

In an interview with Zoom, Azmi said she was surprised by the film's "total box office disaster", particularly because several people around her had told her they liked the movie and appreciated its message.

She said many viewers felt the film's emphasis on humanity was particularly relevant in the current environment.

"Firstly, I am very surprised at the total box office disaster that Batwara 1947 has been because I am surrounded by people who come and tell me they have loved the film. They tell me that they loved the message," Azmi said.

She added that while many people considered the film's message important, audiences had largely stayed away from theatres. Those who watched it, she said, often left with confused reactions.

Azmi plays an important role in Batwara 1947, which deals with the backdrop of Partition and its human consequences. Her comments come amid discussions over the film's box-office performance and the audience response to its casting and storytelling.