Rajkumar Santoshi on Reuniting With Sunny Deol for Another Actioner: ‘It will be on the lines of ‘Ghatak” (EXCLUSIVE))

Rajkumar Santoshi’s “Batwara 1947” may have received a lukewarm response at the box office, but the filmmaker is already looking ahead. Santoshi, who has previously collaborated with Sunny Deol on “Ghayal” (1990), “Damini” (1993) and “Ghatak” (1996), speaks about the film’s underwhelming theatrical response and his plans to reunite with Deol for another actioner.

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The filmmaker says both Aamir Khan, who produced the film, and Sunny Deol were disappointed by the response. “They were disappointed that people didn’t come to the theatres. If audiences had watched the film and didn’t like it, that’s one thing. But we didn’t expect such a lukewarm response from cinegoers. Why did it happen? I don’t know. All his (Sunny Deol’s) recent films like ‘Gadar 2,’ ‘Border 2’ and ‘Jaat’ did great business at the box office,” he says.

Many felt that Sunny Deol’s image went against his casting in the movie. Asked whether an actor can eventually become a prisoner of his own image and whether that may have worked against Deol, Santoshi says, “If it has gone against him, then I feel very sad. If audiences truly love an actor, they should encourage him to conquer new peaks. Sunny is an actor; he should be able to play any character. What matters is whether he has done justice to the role.”

The filmmaker has put the underwhelming performance behind him and is keen to reunite with Deol. “We are planning our next action film. It will be on the lines of ‘Ghatak.’ Let’s hope it works out soon,” he says.