Pakistan inevitably came up as a topic of discussion as Bollywood actor Sunny Deol fielded questions from the Indian media during a promotional press conference on Sunday for his upcoming movie Batwara 1947. His response led to heated debate online.
The actor, accompanied by his son and co-star, Karan Deol, was asked by a journalist to weigh in on “Pakistan as a nation” and its “atmosphere”.
Deol didn’t give a direct answer, and instead quoted his late father, Dharmendra.
“We can’t talk about how [we] feel about it because both countries were once one. As my father used to say, ‘This [India] is my mother and that [Pakistan] is my maternal aunt.’ You all know that. We’re all connected, in one way or another,” he said.
Dharmendra, who passed away last November, was a vocal proponent of strengthening relations between India and Pakistan.
