Sunny Deol enjoys a full circle moment with 'Ghayal' maker Rajkumar Santoshi at Rambagh Palace
Mumbai, Aug 1
Sunny Deol enjoyed a full circle moment with 'Ghayal' maker Rajkumar Santoshi at Rambagh Palace, Jaipur.
The actor and director duo recently revisited the Palace for the promotion of their latest outing, 'Batwara 1947'.
Taking a trip down memory lane, Sunny recalled how his father and legendary actor Dharmendra agreed to produce 'Ghayal' after receiving a narration by Rajkumar Santoshi during the shoot of his movie 'Batwara' in Rambagh Place.
Sunny took to his Instagram handle on Saturday and shared a video with the filmmaker at the same place where they commenced their 'Ghayal' journey.
The 'Gadar' actor mentioned on the photo-sharing app, "Some journeys come full circle in ways you can never plan. Years ago, I believed deeply in a script written by a young Rajkumar Santoshi. We tried taking it to producers, but no one was ready to back the film. That was when I decided to take it to Papa. (sic)"
"Papa was shooting for Batwara in 1988 in Jaipur and staying at Rambagh Palace. Raj gave him the complete narration of Ghayal, and the moment it ended, Papa said yes. More than the film, what stayed with me was how proud he was that I had recognised and stood by such a powerful story. That faith became Ghayal," he went on to add.
Reflecting on the journey from Dharmendra's 'Batwara' in 1989 to 'Batwara 1947' in 2026, Sunny concluded the post saying, "And now, all these years later, I returned to Jaipur for the first promotions of Batwara 1947. Papa's Batwara (1989) . My #Batwara1947 (2026) The same city. A lifetime of memories. And a circle that feels beautifully complete. Forever grateful to Papa for believing in my instinct, and to Raj for giving me a story worth fighting for."
Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan under Aamir Khan Productions, 'Batwara 1947' stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh, Khushi Hajare, and Kanikka Kapur as the core cast.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The way Sunny Deol speaks about his father's faith in him is so touching. In an industry where nepotism is often criticised, this is a beautiful example of a father supporting his son's instinct and talent, not just giving him a film. Ghayal remains one of the best action films of Indian cinema!
Full circle moment indeed! From Dharmendra's Batwara in 1989 to Sunny's Batwara 1947 in 2026, and with Aamir Khan's production backing - this has blockbuster written all over it. Sunny sir's dedication to meaningful cinema is commendable. Jaipur's Rambagh Palace has some amazing cinematic history attached to it!
This is such a wholesome story! Shows how believing in a young filmmaker's vision can create magic. Rajkumar Santoshi was relatively new when he wrote Ghayal, and Sunny Deol stood by him. Now they're back together. Also, the cast of Batwara 1947 looks impressive with Preity Zinta and Shabana Azmi! 💫
As someone who grew up watching Ghayal, this gives me serious nostalgia. The Indian film industry has this unique way of weaving personal stories into professional journeys. Sunny Deol talking about his father with such reverence is heartwarming. Looking forward to seeing how Batwara 1947 turns out!
Great story, but I hope Batwara 1947 doesn't get stuck in the typical patriotic drama template. We need fresh storytelling and not just re
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