A fringe Rajasthan group called the Karni Sena has escalated its protests against director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati, threatening actor Deepika Padukone with physical harm and calling for a bandh across the country on December 1, the day the film is set be released.
"Rajputs never raise a hand on women but if need be, we will do to Deepika what Lakshman did to Shurpanakha," said a leader of the group in a video released today, referring to the act of cutting the nose off. Another member of the Sena said, "We will gather in lakhs, our ancestors wrote history with blood we will not let anyone blacken it.We will call for a Bharat bandh on December 1."
One group has threatened to send signatures in blood to the Censor Board to demand that the film not be cleared for release.
Protests have been spreading, with more groups joining the demand that the film be banned.
Padmavati is based on the legend of Rani Padmini of Chittor and critics, mostly Rajput groups, say the film wrongly implies a romantic relationship between Padmini and Emperor Alauddin Khilji.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali has repeatedly denied the allegations and even released a video clarifying that his film does not distort history, but to no avail.
The Karni Sena has threatened to ban the entry of tourists into the historical Chittorgarh Fort, where Rani Padmini was said to live in the 14th century, if their demands are not met by November 17. Earlier this week, its members went on the rampage in Kota destroying shops and vandalising the ticket window of a cinema hall that was screening a trailer of the film.
While the Rajasthan government struggles to handle the protests, pleading with groups not to "take the law in your hands," the Uttar Pradesh government of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has written to the Centre saying that the release of the film could will pose a law and order problem for the state.
A senior bureaucrat said in the letter, addressed to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that, "The Censer Board members should take a decision after taking into account people's views. They should be apprised about it."
The UP government said it has intelligence reports that the film's producers have presented the movie for the Censor Board's clearance and that "after the release of the trailer of the movie on October 9, various social and other organisations opposed the film." Amid such such strong protests, it said, there are fears of law and order being disrupted.
Padmavati stars Deepika Padukone as the Queen, while Shahid Kapoor plays Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh plays Alauddin Khilji.
Historians are still debating whether Padmini existed. The story of Padmini popular today was told in a 1540 poem by Malik Mohammad Jayasi called Padmawat. Tourists who visit the Chittorgarh Fort are told a queen of legendary beauty and fortitude.
The film ran into trouble with the powerful Rajputs of Rajasthan soon after shooting began. Its sets were vandalised twice. The director was attacked while shooting in Rajasthan capital Jaipur. Deepika Padukone as trolled on Twitter with vitriolic tweets recently after she spoke about the film.
Share This Post
