Rajkumar Santoshi has rejected Shabana Azmi's claim that Batwara 1947 failed because Sunny Deol plays a Muslim character. Their exchange has renewed focus on audience confusion, faith and the film's weak box office run.

In a recent interview, Shabana Azmi questioned whether Sunny Deol's established image as an action and patriotic hero affected the audience's response to the film.

Shabana Azmi said Batwara 1947 failed at the box office as audiences struggled to accept Sunny Deol as a Muslim character. The veteran actor questioned the film’s poor collection despite praise for its message.