Ameesha Patel Responds to Preity Zinta-Sakina Comparisons as Batwara 1947 Revives Gadar Memories

Preity Zinta's appearance alongside Sunny Deol in Batwara 1947 has produced an unexpected connection with another Partition drama that became a defining film for both Sunny and Ameesha Patel — Gadar: Ek Prem Katha.

As promotional material for Rajkumar Santoshi's film circulated online, some viewers began comparing Preity's period look with Ameesha's Sakina from Gadar. One social-media user even suggested that Preity appeared to be “copying” the character.

Ameesha, however, did not turn the comparison into a rivalry.

During a recent #AskAmy interaction on X, the actor responded affectionately to Preity and playfully brought Sunny's Gadar character Tara Singh into the conversation.

What Ameesha Patel actually said

When a fan compared Preity's character with Sakina, Ameesha rejected the confrontational tone rather than criticising her fellow actor.

She complimented Preity and added a playful message from Sakina's perspective:

“Tara ka dhyaan rakhna.”

The remark translates roughly to “Take care of Tara.”

It was a light-hearted reference to Sunny's iconic Gadar character rather than an accusation that Batwara 1947 was imitating the earlier film.

That distinction is important because some coverage around the interaction has emphasised the “copying Sakina” comment made by a fan. The allegation came from the social-media user — not from Ameesha herself.

Ameesha later cleared up another case of confusion

The resemblance conversation did not stop there.

Days later, Ameesha addressed another social-media post after someone apparently mistook Preity for her and wondered whether Sakina was appearing in Batwara 1947.

This time, Ameesha's response was even more straightforward: “Woh Preity Zinta hai yaar.”

The clarification effectively confirmed what should already have been clear from the film's announced cast: Ameesha is not playing Sakina in Batwara 1947.

Why are viewers making the Gadar comparison?

The similarities are largely contextual.

Both stories are set against Partition. Both feature Sunny Deol in a central role. And both place major female characters within the clothing, visual language and historical setting associated with that period.

But Batwara 1947 is not another Gadar film.

Written and directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the film features Sunny alongside Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Ali Fazal, Karan Deol, Kanikka Kapur and Abhimanyu Singh. It is produced by Aamir Khan and Aparna Purohit, with A.R. Rahman composing the music and Javed Akhtar writing the lyrics.

Its story is also separate from Tara and Sakina's romance.

The filmmakers have positioned Batwara 1947 around courage and humanity during the communal upheaval surrounding Partition.

Sakina remains inseparable from Ameesha Patel’s career

The comparisons also say something about how strongly audiences continue to associate Ameesha with Sakina.

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha completed 25 years in June 2026, and Ameesha has spent part of the anniversary period reflecting on the role's impact.

She recently recalled that she had initially questioned whether she was right for the film because of her age and the significant age difference between herself and Sunny. After understanding the story, however, she came to see that contrast as important to Tara and Sakina's relationship.

Ameesha has also said that the character demanded substantial preparation, including work on Urdu diction, body language and understanding the cultural setting in which Sakina existed.

Twenty-five years later, she accepts that the character remains deeply attached to her public identity.

Sunny Deol is the real bridge between the films

Perhaps the strongest reason audiences instinctively connect the two projects is Sunny himself.

In Gadar, his Tara Singh became one of Hindi cinema's best-known characters associated with a Partition-era story. He returned to that role alongside Ameesha in Gadar 2 in 2023.

Batwara 1947 brings him into another story set during the same historical upheaval, but under Rajkumar Santoshi's direction and with a different ensemble and narrative.

The film also represents a significant professional reunion. Santoshi previously directed Sunny in Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, making Batwara 1947 their first collaboration in decades.

The Celebrity Hour Take

The interesting part of this exchange is precisely what didn't happen.

A fan presented Ameesha Patel with an easy opportunity for a celebrity-versus-celebrity headline by suggesting Preity Zinta was copying Sakina. Ameesha chose not to engage with that framing. Instead, she complimented Preity and turned the comparison into an affectionate Gadar reference.

The comparisons themselves are understandable. Sunny Deol, Partition imagery and a female character in period styling inevitably remind some viewers of Gadar. But visual familiarity isn't evidence that Preity's character is “Sakina 2.0,” much less that she is copying Ameesha.

If anything, the episode demonstrates the cultural afterlife of Sakina: 25 years after the first Gadar, audiences still use Ameesha's character as a reference point when encountering another Partition-era Hindi film.