Actor Preity Zinta, who is returning to the big screen after an eight-year hiatus with Batwara 1947, spoke candidly about her break from films and her comeback during a group interaction with the media on Tuesday. Reflecting on the years she spent away from the spotlight, Preity said she never really missed acting because she was focused on a different chapter of her life.
“I didn’t miss it, to be honest. I was enjoying having a family; it was new to me, having kids and focusing on my personal life. And however big my career milestones might be, my greatest milestone was having children.”
The actor also shared that motherhood gave her a deeper understanding of the character she plays in Batwara 1947. Set against the backdrop of Partition, Preity plays a Muslim woman whose husband, played by Sunny Deol, shelters a Hindu woman in their Lahore home amid the violence of 1947.
Explaining how motherhood influenced her performance, Preity said, “That’s why I could identify with this film. Even though it’s 2026, my number one priority is family. So, imagine what it must have been like in 1947. It was a very different worldview through the lens of those times.”
Speaking about returning to acting after such a long break, Preity admitted that the first few days on set were daunting.
“There were nerves,” she said, revealing that director Rajkumar Santoshi chose to begin filming with one of the most emotionally demanding scenes in the film. Fortunately, co-star Sunny Deol helped her settle into the process.
“He (director Santoshi) tortured me on day one by putting the most difficult scene of the film on the first day. So I was just looking at him (Sunny Deol), and I was shaking, ki abhi main kya karoon (What do I do now?). He is a wonderful, big-hearted, kind and decent human being to work with because he really was like, ‘Don’t worry, he loves retakes. Kuch khaayegi?’ (Will you have something to eat?)”
The actor said things became easier once filming got underway.
“We shot throughout the night. We did the look test, and the next day we did one or two readings before we started shooting. After that, it all felt much easier.”
Batwara 1947 also marks Preity’s reunion with Sunny Deol after their 2018 film Bhaiaji Superhit, while signalling her return to the silver screen after a gap of nearly eight years.
