Sunny Deol's upcoming film Batwara 1947 has become the latest talking point on social media after its newly released character poster featuring debutante Kanikka Kapur grabbed everyone's attention.
Released
on July 30, the poster shows Kanikka alongside Karan Deol. Dressed in a floral suit with a light brown dupatta and minimal makeup, the actress left social media users doing a double take, with several pointing out her striking resemblance to actress Kiara Advani.
Sharing her character poster on Instagram, Kanikka wrote, “Watch #Batwara1947 in cinemas this Partition Day, 14th August.”
Soon after the poster surfaced online, the comments section was flooded with reactions. Many users compared her appearance to Kiara, while others speculated that artificial intelligence (AI) may have been used in designing the promotional artwork by the PR team.
An Instagram user commented, "Why does Kanika look so much like Kiara?"
Another wrote, "Ohhh I thought she is Kiara Advani."
"For a second I thought it's Kiara Advani. Anyways congratulations and wish you huge success."
Here's how others reacted:
Interestingly, a look at Kanikka's other photos on Instagram shows that she does not closely resemble Kiara in her regular pictures, leading many fans to believe that the similarity is largely due to the styling or poster design.
Who is Kanikka Kapur?
Kanikka, who hails from Delhi, is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Batwara 1947. Before entering films, she was known for playing Suman Tiwari in the television serial Ek Duje Ke Vaaste 2. She has also appeared in web series such as Dono, Modern Parivar and Murderbad.
Kanikka reportedly developed an interest in acting during her childhood and remained active in theatre throughout her college years. She also began modelling at the age of 18 and went on to win several beauty pageants, including Miss Mood Indigo, Femina Style Diva North and Manappuram Miss Queen of India.
About Batwara 1947
Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and backed by Aamir Khan Productions, Batwara 1947 is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on August 14, 2026.
The film is based on Asghar Wajahat's acclaimed 1989 play, Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai. It tells the story of a married couple, played by Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta, who celebrate India's Independence but are forced to migrate to Pakistan after Partition.
After relocating, the couple is allotted a large haveli where they discover an elderly Hindu woman, portrayed by Shabana Azmi, still living there. As communal tensions escalate and a violent mob targets her, Sunny Deol's character risks everything to protect her.
The film marks Rajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol's first collaboration in nearly three decades. The duo previously delivered acclaimed films such as Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, with Sunny winning both of his National Film Awards for performances in Santoshi's films.
Batwara 1947 also marks Sunny Deol's first production venture with Aamir Khan. Interestingly, the film was originally announced as Lahore 1947 before being renamed Batwara 1947.
