The first look poster of Rajkumar Santoshi‘s upcoming period drama Batwara 1947 created quite a stir online. But the buzz wasn’t just about the film itself. Many social media users saw the poster and thought they were looking at Kiara Advani. The woman in the poster was actually actor Kanikka Kapur. The confusion spread quickly across platforms, with people asking if Kiara had joined the cast or if the image was made using artificial intelligence.
Kanikka has now responded to all the chatter. She says she finds the whole situation funny and does not mind the comparisons at all.
The Viral Poster That Confused Everyone
The character poster for Batwara 1947 featuring Kanikka Kapur alongside Karan Deol dropped on social media around July 30-31, 2026. In the image, Kanikka wears a floral salwar suit with a beige dupatta, simple makeup, and slightly messy hair. Her overall look reminded many viewers of Kiara Advani’s character Dimple Cheema from Shershaah.
Soon after the poster went live, social media filled with comments. People expressed surprise and confusion. Some asked if Kiara Advani was secretly part of the film. Others wondered if artificial intelligence had been used to create or edit the poster because the resemblance was so strong.
One Instagram user wrote, “I thought why Kiara name not in credits for a second.” Another commented, “Kiara Advani bana diya hai AI ne,” suggesting the image was AI-generated. Some fans simply pointed out the similarity, with one saying, “She exactly looks like Kiara Advani,” and another adding, “For a second I assumed it’s Kiara Advani”.
Kanikka herself responded to one fan’s comment that read, “Congratulations @kanikkakapur, I really thought it was Kiara Advani on the poster!” She replied with a laughing emoji, which only added to the online conversation.
Kanikka Kapur Says She Is Used to the Comparisons
Speaking to HT City, Kanikka admitted that while she has been compared to Kiara before, the response to this poster was different from anything she had seen earlier.
“When I saw people have mistaken me for Kiara in the poster, I laughed a lot. Like, what’s going on? People have compared me before, but never this much. So I was just laughing, that maybe when they watch the movie, they will look for Kiara. But no, I am okay with it. You can’t really tell everyone that no, no, no, this is me.”
In an interview with Variety India, she shared a similar feeling. She said she now leaves it to the public to decide if they see a resemblance.
“I am leaving it to the people to judge if they find me like Kiara (Advani). I have been reading mixed comments. Many people are convinced that I look like her in the poster, while some have said that I don’t. I have been compared to Kiara before as well. So, I am used to it now. Earlier, I would clarify whether it’s her or me, but now I laugh it off.”
Kanikka made it clear she does not see the comparisons as a negative thing. She called Kiara Advani pretty and said she has no problem with people making the comparison.
“Honestly, I don’t mind because I find her really pretty. And I’ve said that before. So it’s okay if people want to do it. I’m okay with it. If they think I look like her, fine.”
Not the First Time She Has Been Compared to Kiara Advani
This was not the first time people pointed out a similarity between Kanikka and Kiara. Kanikka recalled that similar comparisons happened earlier in her career when she worked on the web show Immature season 2.
She explained that in that show, her look involved a ponytail. At the time, people put her pictures next to Kiara’s pictures from Kabir Singh because the looks were similar.
Kanikka also shared a funny story about Kiara’s makeup artist. She said that once, when the makeup artist was working on her, the artist said, “Oh my God, it just feels like Kiara only”. She added that some people think they look alike, while others disagree.
She mentioned that the topic never came up during the filming of Batwara 1947. No one on the set spoke to her about it, and she did not bring it up either.
“I did not discuss it with anyone and no one spoke to me about it. I am just happy to be on the poster.”
Kanikka Kapur’s Journey to Batwara 1947
Batwara 1947 marks Kanikka Kapur’s Bollywood debut, but she is not new to acting. She became known for her role in the TV show Ek Duje Ke Vaaste 2. She has also worked on other projects, including Tippu, Dono Modern Parivar, A Gift Of Love: Sifar, and Murderbad.
For Batwara 1947, Kanikka went through a detailed audition process. She met Rajkumar Santoshi before her auditions, so she knew the scale of the project from the start. That knowledge made her feel more pressure, but she gave it her best.
She had to work on her dialect for the role. Since she comes from a Punjabi family that experienced the Partition, she grew up with grandparents who spoke that dialect, which helped her prepare.
The casting process involved multiple rounds. First, she auditioned for the casting director. Then she went to Aamir Khan Productions‘ office, where Aamir Khan himself watched her audition. She recalled being scared because it was a big deal for her.
The final audition took place on the film’s sets. After she finished her scene, the director said “cut,” and she heard everyone clapping. She saw Preity Zinta standing up and clapping for her. Kanikka went and hugged her, and Preity told her she performed the scene really well.
Working with Sunny Deol and His Sons
Kanikka expressed her excitement about sharing screen space with Sunny Deol in Batwara 1947. She also talked about working with both of Sunny’s sons, Karan Deol and Rajveer Deol, across different projects.
She described Sunny as a protective father and mentor. She said he gives his all to his scenes and goes all the way for his people. Speaking about Karan and Rajveer, she said both brothers have “big shoes to fill” and share immense respect for their father. She added that they really want to make their father proud.
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About Batwara 1947
Batwara 1947 is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan Productions. The film is based on a 1989 play by Asghar Wajahat titled Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai.
The movie brings together Sunny Deol and Rajkumar Santoshi after thirty years. They last worked together on Ghatak. The cast also includes Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh, and Kanikka Kapur.
Most of Kanikka’s scenes in the film are with Karan Deol.
Batwara 1947 is scheduled to release in theaters on August 14, 2026.
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