Lahore 1947: Gujarat High Court Allows Director to Travel Abroad for Film Promotion

India: Today, a vacation bench of the Gujarat High Court granted filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi permission to travel abroad for promoting his upcoming film Lahore 1947. This relaxes an earlier bail condition that restricted him from leaving India without court approval, stemming from a cheque bounce case under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

The court allowed Santoshi to depart India from December 30, 2025, with a strict requirement to return by midnight on January 4, 2026 (on or before January 5, 2026, at 00:00 hours). Travel tickets were submitted as evidence for a promotional event, though specific destinations were not disclosed. The judge noted that since a substantial portion of the compensation amount had been deposited, it was in the interest of justice to permit this short trip, adhering to prior bail terms from October 30, 2025.

In the same order, the court extended the deadline for depositing the remaining balance (about ₹35 lakhs) until January 31, 2026, warning that no further extensions would be granted under any circumstances.

The underlying case involves a conviction by a Jamnagar trial court for cheque bounce, resulting in a 2-year sentence and an order to pay around ₹2 crore in compensation. The High Court had previously suspended the sentence and granted bail with conditions, including partial deposits and the travel restriction, while Santoshi’s appeal against the conviction continues.

Lahore 1947, directed by Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan Productions, is a period drama set during the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition. It stars Sunny Deol in the lead role, alongside Preity Zinta (marking her comeback), Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, and others. Principal photography wrapped in October 2025 after reshoots incorporating creative inputs from Aamir Khan. Originally eyed for a 2025 release, it has been delayed, with current reports indicating a theatrical arrival in 2026 to prioritize quality.

This court permission enables Santoshi to join early international promotional activities as the film’s marketing begins ramping up.