Screen Padmavati at your own peril, Sena warns cinema halls

of the Shree Rajput Karni Sena on Monday submitted a memorandum to several cinema halls in Jaipur,Dungarpur, Bhilwara and Sirohi districts urging them not to screen upcoming film Padmavati.

Several Rajput outfits are protesting the release of the film. Padmavati stars Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor and is set to release on December 1.

“We will be submitting similar memorandums to various cinema halls in Jaipur. In the memorandums we have asked them not to screen the film as we suspect that the historical figure, queen Padmavati, has been portrayed in the wrong way,” said Karni Sena Jaipur district president Narayan Divrala.

He added that the Sena has told the cinema hall administration that they won’t be responsible for the consequences if the film is screened. “We have told them that if the film is screened without our approval, we won’t be responsible for any damage caused to the cinema hall,” said Divrala.

Rani Padmini or Padmavati was a 13-14th century queen of Chittorgarh and the Rajput community has alleged that the movie suggests an “amorous relationship” between Padmavati (played by Deepika Padukone) and Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh).

Last week, the Karni Sena had staged a huge protest in Chittorgarh in which hundreds of people took part demanding a complete ban on the film.

Lokendra Singh Kalvi, the patron of the Sena, had said that a pan India campaign is being carried out by the outfit to stop the film’s release in all states.

Divrala said that that the film won’t be allowed to be released unless it gets the approval of the Rajput community first. “We won’t tolerate any romantic portrayal of queen Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji,” said Divrala.

State Congress spokesperson and Jaipur district President Pratap Singh Khachariyawas had said on Sunday that the film should be immediately banned if it distorts history.

In January this year, the sets of Padmavati in Jaipur were vandalised by Karni Sena and its director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was allegedly manhandled.

JAIPUR:Members We will submit memorandums to cinema halls. We have asked them not to screen the film as we suspect that Padmavati, has been portrayed wrongly

NARAYAN DIVRALA, Karni Sena Jaipur district president