MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Sunny Deol found himself at the centre of an online storm after quoting his late father, veteran actor Dharmendra, and referring to Pakistan as India’s “maternal aunt” during a press conference for his upcoming film Batwara 1947.

When asked by a journalist to comment on “Pakistan as a nation,” Deol — accompanied by his son and co-star Karan Deol — avoided giving a direct answer and instead recalled his father’s words: “As my father used to say, this [India] is my mother and that [Pakistan] is my maternal aunt. We’re all connected, in one way or another.” Dharmendra, who passed away last November, had long been a vocal advocate for stronger India-Pakistan relations.

Deol went on to say that as an actor, his job was to tell stories rather than take political positions. However, the remark did not sit well with many online, given his own history of hyper-patriotic films such as Border and Gadar, as well as his past stint as a BJP politician. Critics on social media accused him of “opportunism” and inconsistency, with some pointing to his previous use of nationalist rhetoric during his political campaigns.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of continued strain in India-Pakistan relations following last year’s military conflict, which also saw India impose digital restrictions on Pakistani entertainment content. Deol’s upcoming film Batwara 1947, centred on the Partition era and also starring Preity Zinta and Ali Fazal, is scheduled for release on August 14 — coinciding with Pakistan’s Independence Day.