Sunny Deol's fans have a big reason to head back to the cinema this month. Three of his career-defining collaborations with director Rajkumar Santoshi, Damini, Ghatak and Ghayal, are returning to the big screen in a special re-release. The Deol-Santoshi pairing has a strong track record of box office success whenever the two have worked together, and this re-release gives audiences a fresh chance to relive that magic on the big screen before the director-actor duo reunites for their next project.
A three-week countdown to the big screen
The re-release will roll out over three weeks. Damini opens the run on July 24, followed a week later by Ghatak, which returns to theatres on July 31. The celebration wraps up on August 7 with Ghayal. The timing is not incidental, this entire three-week schedule leads directly into the release of Sunny Deol and Rajkumar Santoshi's upcoming film Batwara 1947, which is set to hit cinemas on August 14. In effect, the re-release of these three classics is designed to build anticipation ahead of Batwara 1947, giving audiences a steady stream of Deol-Santoshi nostalgia every week until the new film arrives.
PVR INOX makes it official
The re-release was officially announced on July 17. PVR INOX shared the news on its Instagram account, writing, "Action, emotion and powerful storytelling. Get ready to relive these iconic classics of the Deol-Santoshi duo on the big screen before Batwara 1947." The announcement itself frames the re-release as a lead-in to the new film rather than a standalone event, and it has already generated visible excitement among fans online, many of whom have not had the chance to watch these three films in a theatre for years.
From Damini to Ghayal, a trophy cabinet full of awards
Damini, Ghatak and Ghayal were not just box office hits in their time, they also left a lasting mark at award ceremonies. Rajkumar Santoshi won the Filmfare Award for Best Director for Damini, while Sunny Deol picked up the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his powerful portrayal of lawyer Govind Shrivastav in the same film. Ghayal, meanwhile, was Rajkumar Santoshi's directorial debut, and it went on to become one of the biggest hits of its era. Sunny Deol won a National Film Award in the Special Jury category as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his role in the film, and Ghayal also won the National Award for Best Popular Film. Between them, the two films account for multiple National Film Awards and Filmfare honours, underlining just how significant the Deol-Santoshi partnership has been across their careers.
Batwara 1947 arrives in theatres on August 14
Sunny Deol and Rajkumar Santoshi are teaming up once again for Batwara 1947. The film is based on Asghar Wajahat's well-known play "Jis Lahore Nahi Vekhya O Jamyai Nahi." Set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition, the story is an emotional account of human resilience, hope and generosity amid the upheaval of that period. Sunny Deol plays the lead role of Sikander Mirza in the film, while Preeti Zinta is set to make a grand comeback to the big screen with this project. By bringing Damini, Ghatak and Ghayal back to theatres in the weeks leading up to August 14, the re-release essentially builds a runway of nostalgia around the Deol-Santoshi name right before audiences see the same combination take on a story rooted in one of the most turbulent chapters of the subcontinent's history. Batwara 1947 is all set to release in cinemas on August 14.
