Sunny Deol's film 'Bantwara 1947' has been cleared by the censor board without a single scene or dialogue being cut, giving the makers major relief just ahead of its release. The Central Board of Film Certification has passed Rajkumar Santoshi's film with zero cuts and awarded it an 'A' certificate. The film is set to hit theatres on August 14.
Santoshi Didn't Ask for the 'A' Certificate Himself
Rajkumar Santoshi revealed that he had not personally sought an 'A' certificate for the film. He simply did not want to alter a single frame or dialogue, but securing a 'U/A' certificate would have required the board to remove certain portions. Doing so risked weakening both the film's original story and its impact. That is why the makers accepted the 'A' certificate without any compromise, so the film could reach audiences in its full, unedited form. In India, an 'A' certificate means only adult viewers are permitted to watch the film in theatres.
"I Am Not a Teacher": Santoshi Explains the Film's Intent
Speaking about the film, Rajkumar Santoshi made it clear that he is not trying to deliver any message through it. He said, "I am not a teacher who has to give someone a message through my film." According to him, the film has been made purely to entertain audiences, not to teach anyone a lesson. Santoshi also said there is nothing in the film that needs to be viewed through a Hindu or Muslim lens, and that viewers will be able to see it simply as the story of human beings. He further clarified that the film's title was not changed from 'Lahore 1947' to 'Bantwara 1947'.
Release on August 14, With a Strong Cast Alongside Sunny Deol
Sunny Deol is also quite excited about the film and has said it is extremely close to his heart. Alongside Sunny Deol, the film features Shabana Azmi, Preity Zinta, Abhimanyu Singh, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal and Vijayant Kohli in important roles. Anticipation around this story set during Partition was already running high among audiences, and it has only grown further now that the film has cleared certification without a single cut. 'Bantwara 1947' releases in theatres on August 14.
