My Connection with 'Batwara 1947'

  

IN 2000, AS A YOUNG CORRESPONDENT AT OUTLOOK MAGAZINE, I received an unexpected proposal from a literary editor: translate Asghar Wajahat sir’s iconic play 'Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya Oh Janmya Nai' into English

Needless to say, I was petrified!

Wajahat sir was already a literary legend. His 1989 play—built around the famous idiom 'You haven't truly lived until you've seen Lahore'—had already travelled the world to packed houses. The responsibility felt immense.

But the biggest surprise came when I actually met him.

To discuss the nuances of the language and the idioms, I sat down with a giant of Hindi literature, only to find an incredibly down-to-earth and humble mentor. I was especially amazed by how graciously and easily he accepted my translated title, 'Unborn in Lahore'

That project was my very first literary translation. It was entirely thanks to Wajahat sir’s encouragement and warmth that I gained the confidence to later approach and translate the works of other legendary masters like Premchand, Bhisham Sahni and Nirmal Verma

Fast forward to today, and I am absolutely delighted to see this timeless story transitioning to the big screen. Produced by Aamir Khan and directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the cinematic adaptation is finally coming to life

I am so looking forward to 'BATWARA 1947'! (Releasing Aug 14, 2026)🎬