Batwara 1947 is a very challenging film as far as the subject is concerned. Partition is a traumatic topic in the history of India; but the main topic of the film, namely, displacement and loss, seems to be very current. However, Rajkumar Santoshi's new film does not turn the material into effective cinematography.
Here we are seeing the reunion of Santoshi with Sunny Deol, the pair responsible for producing films such as Ghayal, Damini, and Ghatak. There are ingredients involved in the mentioned films, which gives the strength of discussing the social issues of those times, as well as supreme performances by Sunny Deol. Obviously, Batwara 1947 plans to tackle similar themes. However, the opus does not always perform well in execution.
Positive Points
The problem develops into a clash of the new tenants with the old tenant, but gradually the movie turns this private conflict into something more significant. The highlights of the film lay with Sunny Deol. Sunny Deol has the kind of screen presence that he has cultivated over the years of him being in consistent acting work. He is able to express himself even without shouting. As soon as emotions come into play he knows how to handle that.
Sikandar has the manner of a man who has been suffering alongside his family but still tries to retain what makes him human.
The chemistry between Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta is also noteworthy. Their scenes are full of ease, which makes them credible as characters. Zinta supplies Hamida with warmth, whereas Deol gives us a more reserved emotional side of Sikandar.
Preity Zinta is also at ease in the film. Their relationship adds emotional depth to the otherwise dramatic story. There is another hero that needs to be mentioned, Devyendu. He has a little presence in the movie but does enough to impress audiences and leave a mark.
The main theme of the movie also deserves the credit of being important for all times, as the ideas surrounding how religion hatred can ruin an ordinary person’s life are still as relevant today. Moreover, the disappearance of such people, which is both sly yet observable, is a reflection of the current state of the country nowadays, especially when one takes into account the fact that it is divided by religious and linguistic issues. Another thing to consider in terms of supporting the ideas of the film is the timing, as it has been released on August 14, the day dedicated to the observance of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
Negative Points
The main issue lies with the direction. Santoshi has proven that he is capable of handling an emotionally driven narrative; however, Batwara 1947 often appears strangely lifeless. Dramatic scenes that should provoke real emotions feel bloated, creating space for some moments that could have struck a chord but did not.
The storytelling in the movie also bears the weight of the past. Although it is obvious what the movie sets out to do, the approach lacks unpredictability and creativity. Rather than allowing the emotions to manifest themselves naturally, film makers try to explain their intentions. The performance by Karan Deol is another miss. He does not bring enough conviction to the role, which is particularly evident whenever he performs alongside Sunny Deol or Preity Zinta.
Lastly, the pacing of the film leaves much to be desired. Due to its slow pace, Batwara 1947 loses its drive as the narrative moves on to less interesting conflicts.
Overall: The movie Batwara 1947 has all the components needed to make a great movie on Partition but has not been able to achieve that on screen. However Sunny Deol is the highlight of the movie as he has somehow managed to create some life into what is an otherwise lifeless character. His chemistry with Preity Zinta is another positive factor of the film since the scenes with them together are portrayed in a cheerful manner. Moreover, Devyendu has also impressed the viewers and left the mark with his performance despite the limited role.
The purpose of the film is quite good as it conveys the message against communal hatred as well as illuminates the repercussions of Partition. But, on the negative side, the movie suffers from traditional storytelling approach, faulty direction, slow pace of unfolding the events and a weak performance of Karan Deol.
Thus, to sum up, Batwara 1947 had a great movie inside it but it failed to materialize this potential.
