&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Father's film on 15 August 1947, son's film on Independence week 2026: Can you guess this father-son duo?")
India is celebrating 80 years of independence. And in Bollywood, some stories come full circle. On 15 August 1947, the very day India got its freedom, a film called Shehnai was released. It was one of the first Hindi films of free India. Starring Rehana, Nasir Khan, V.H. Desai and an 18-year-old Kishore Kumar, the musical was directed and written by P.L. Santoshi.
Interestingly, 80 years down the line, as India prepares to celebrate Independence Day again, Batwara 1947 is set to release. What’s the connection? The film is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, son of PL Santoshi. A full-circle moment for the Santoshi family.
Rajkumar Santoshi, the director behind classics like Ghayal, Ghatak, and Damini, is set to release his new film this year. From his father’s first film in independent India to his own film releasing on the Independence Day weekend, the legacy continues.
Also read: Did you know? This was the first film to release on 15 August 1947 | Independence Day special
Batwara 1947 and Shehnai special 'Santoshi' connection
Santoshi is back with actor Sunny Deol after decades, and this time for the movie Batwara 1947. Starring Sunny Deol and Priety Zinta, the movie is based on one of the most famous plays, Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai. Audiences will now get to experience this story on the big screen. But 80 years ago, it was PL Santoshi’s film that audiences watched and loved. Released on the day India got its freedom, Shehnai ran successfully for over 25 weeks.
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Shehnai wasn’t just a film. It was released at a historic moment. India was free, and audiences were looking for hope and entertainment. Shehnai gave them both. It had songs that went on to become timeless classics and marked the beginning of a new era in Indian cinema.
Released on 15 August 1947, the movie starring Rehana, Nasir Khan & VH Desai was a musical and had songs that went on to transcend generations. The movie's music was given by C Ramchandra. Oh, and it also had an 18-year-old boy in this film?
He went on to become Kishore Kumar.
Rajkumar Santoshi grew up watching cinema evolve. Known for mixing mass entertainment with hard-hitting themes, his films gave us iconic dialogues, unforgettable characters, and, with all this, he won National Awards. Now, in 2026, his Batwara 1947 is set for release, 80 years after his father’s Shehnai was watched on Independence Day.
More on Batwara 1947
Set to release on Partition Day, August 14, 2026, the movie is based on Professor Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai. It tells the story of a Muslim family who have to leave their home in Lucknow and shift to Lahore in Pakistan. However, they are allotted a house that belongs to an elderly Hindu woman who refuses to leave after Partition. Amid communal tensions, how the Muslim family saves her forms the rest of the story.
