Sunny Deol’s highly anticipated partition drama has officially dropped its original title. The film, earlier known as Lahore 1947, is now simply called Batwara. And guess who stepped in to make that happen? None other than Aamir Khan — who personally visited the family of late producer Salim Akhtar to secure the naming rights.
The Title Change from ‘Lahore 1947’ to ‘Batwara’
Industry insiders reveal that the creative team behind the project was clear from the start — they didn’t want to name the film Lahore 1947. The working title was Batwara 1947, but the makers eventually decided to drop the year entirely. That’s when the real hurdle appeared: the title ‘Batwara’ belonged to someone else.
A source close to the production tells us, “The team learned that Salim Akhtar’s family had the rights to the title since the producer had made the original Batwara in 1989. Removing ‘1947’ and simply retaining ‘Batwara’ meant securing those rights.” The search for a solution led straight to Aamir Khan, who is also attached to the film in a supporting role.
Veteran filmmaker Karim Morani, a mutual friend, played cupid in this deal. He arranged a meeting between Aamir and Samad Akhtar, Salim saab’s son. But Aamir didn’t just call him over for coffee — he went to Samad’s house and even met his mother Shama, Salim Akhtar’s widow. Bada style, na?
Aamir Khan’s Personal Meeting with the Akhtar Family
The source continues, “The meeting was very fruitful. Aamir told the family about his wonderful experience of working with Salim Akhtar in Baazi (1995). He also informed them about his film and how the title Batwara is apt for the subject. The Akhtar family understood his point of view and thus, they sold the rights for a certain amount to Aamir.”
Interestingly, Samad Akhtar had shared a picture with Aamir on social media on March 8, calling the superstar’s visit memorable. In his post, Samad mentioned that Aamir amazed him with deep passion and knowledge about cricket — and even presented the actor with a jersey from his sports shop, 7S Sports World. Clearly, the meeting was more than just a business transaction; it was a warm connection between two families bonded by cinema.
And that’s not all — Aamir’s involvement in the film goes beyond this title hunt. He will be seen in a supporting role alongside Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Ali Fazal, Karan Deol, and Shabana Azmi. The film reunites Sunny Deol with director Rajkumar Santoshi after years, making it a major event in itself.
A Film That Honors the Original ‘Batwara’ Legacy
The original 1989 Batwara was directed by J P Dutta (Border, Refugee) and boasted an ensemble cast including Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Amrita Singh, Poonam Dhillon, Mohsin Khan, Shammi Kapoor, and Asha Parekh. That film dealt with themes of partition and family conflict — a legacy the new version aims to carry forward with a fresh take on the same painful chapter of history.
With Aamir’s personal touch securing the title and the star power of Sunny Deol leading the charge, Batwara is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about releases. The buzz is real, and fans can’t wait to see this partition saga unfold on the big screen.