OUTRAGE OVER PADMAVATI CONTINUES
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the information and broadcasting ministry to defer the release of Bollywood film Padmavati citing public anger, even as an outfit, Rajput Karni Sena, called for a nationwide bandh on December 1. ››
LUCK NOW/ JAIPUR/ CHANDIGARH/ B HOPAL: The controversy surrounding Bollywood movie Padmavati intensified across North India a fortnight ahead of its release with politicians calling for its release to be deferred; a political party filing a suit in the Delhi high court seeking its review by an expert group; and a Rajput caste organisation threatening Deepika Padukone, the film’s leading lady, and also calling for a nation-wide protest on 1 December.
Among the politicians jumping into the fray were Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who asked the information and broadcasting ministry to defer the release, and Haryana health minister Anil Vij asking the Censor Board to do the same.
Uttar Pradesh believes the release could lead to significant law and order problems with the state’s home secretary Arvind Kumar citing intelligence reports to the effect in a letter to the information and broadcasting ministry. Kumar added that it would be difficult to provide security to theatres because the police would be busy with the civic election and Muslim festival Barawafat.
The letter comes a day after protests against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movie turned violent in Rajasthan where members of the Rajput Karni Sena vandalised a cinema hall in Kota.
Historians are divided on whether Rajput queen Padmini of Chittorgarh was a real person, but many people in Rajasthan are convinced that the queen, renowned for her beauty, is a historical figure and lived in the 14th century. According to them, A laud dinKhilji invaded Chittorg a rh because he was en am our ed of the queen’s beauty. When defeat was certain, the queen chose to jump into a fire to escape falling into Khilji’s hands.
Emotions are running high in the state, with the protests not being limited to Rajputs. Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are protesting against the movie. Rajasthan goes to the polls in December 2018. Rajasthan’s royal families are also against the movie and Rajput women’s organisations Kshatrani Mahasangh in Jaipur and Jauhar Kshatrani Sangh in Chittorgarh have asked that the movie be reviewed by experts before its release.
On Wednesday, Rajasthan commission for women chief Suman Sharma wrote to the CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi to clear the air on the confusion that the film was creating and to ensure that the film didn’t have any content that distorted history or hurt people’s sentiments.
The controversy began in January when members of the K ar ni Sena — one of its members threatened to disfigure Padukone on Thursday — started protesting after reading about a dream sequence involving Rani Padmini and Alauddin Khilji in an interview of the actor playing the latter.
Bhansali and the Sena reached an agreement, though, and the film maker promised that Rajput leaders would be consulted on the film.
Karni Sena patron Lokendra Singh Kalvi, who claims to be the 37th descendant of Padmini’s husband Ratan Singh of Chittorgarh, said the filmmaker did not honour the commitment and released a trailer.
Karni Sena members have submitted memorandum s to district collector sat several places demanding a ban on the film. On November 14, members of the outfit vandalised a cinema hall in Kota for running a trailer of the film. Six members of the group have been arrested.
Rajasthan home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said every outfit had a right to protest but warned people against taking the law into their hands.
InMadhya Pradesh, the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha has joined hands with the Karni Sena to protest against the movie.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha Madhya Pradesh president Prahlad Singh said, “Bhansali has distorted our history in the film and trivialised the great character of Rani Padmavati. We will not allow the film to be screened.”
He, too, wants a committee of experts to review the movie ahead of its release.