Ameesha Patel has responded to a wave of social-media comparisons involving Preity Zinta’s character in Batwara 1947 and her much-loved portrayal of Sakina in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha.
The discussion surfaced after the trailer for Batwara 1947 prompted some viewers to draw parallels between Preity’s period-drama appearance and the visual identity associated with Ameesha’s character from the 2001 blockbuster.
Rather than turning the comparison into a controversy, Ameesha offered a short and playful response during an #AskAmy interaction on X.
Ameesha Patel’s one-line response catches attention
One fan asked Ameesha whether she had seen the Batwara 1947 trailer and suggested that Preity’s character reminded them of Sakina.
The actress did not respond defensively. Instead, she replied:
“Tara ka dhyaan rakhna.”
The line is a direct nod to Tara Singh, the character played by Sunny Deol in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha.
Ameesha’s response quickly attracted attention because of its light-hearted tone. Rather than criticising Preity or questioning the comparison, she appeared to acknowledge the affection fans continue to have for the Tara-Sakina pairing.
Why fans continue to remember Sakina
Released in 2001, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha became one of the defining commercial successes of its era. Set against the backdrop of Partition, the film followed the extraordinary love story between Tara Singh and Sakina.
Ameesha’s portrayal of Sakina became closely associated with the film’s identity, while her chemistry with Sunny Deol became a major part of its lasting appeal.
The franchise returned to theatres with Gadar 2 in 2023, bringing Tara and Sakina back into the cultural conversation and introducing the characters to another generation of viewers.
That renewed interest has also kept Ameesha’s performance firmly in the spotlight whenever a new Partition-era Hindi film arrives.
Preity Zinta returns to the period-drama space
Batwara 1947 brings Preity Zinta and Sunny Deol together on screen again in a story set around the Partition period.
The film features an ensemble cast that includes Shabana Azmi, Ali Fazal and Karan Deol, with filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi at the helm.
The reunion of Sunny and Preity has been one of the talking points surrounding the project, particularly for audiences who remember their earlier collaborations.
A comparison that Ameesha chose to embrace
Comparisons between actors playing characters from similar historical settings are inevitable, particularly when both films explore the emotional upheaval surrounding Partition.
However, Ameesha’s response suggests she has no interest in allowing the discussion to become a rivalry between two actresses.
Her reference to Tara Singh effectively brought the conversation back to the characters that made Gadar so memorable.
For fans, the brief exchange offered something more entertaining than a social-media dispute: a reminder that Sakina and Tara remain one of Bollywood’s most recognisable screen couples.
