Indian women register for mass self-immolation against 'Padmaavat' release

Controversies surrounding the film ‘Padmaavat’ are no more in sight to die down any sooner, as just when you think that it is over now another contention is raised.

The film has gone through a lot. It was first set to release on December 1 last year, however, soon after the film crew and stars received deadly threats followed by protests by some factions of Rajput clan, its release was deferred.

The film was cleared for release by India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after critically passing it through the chopping block. However, even this could not satisfy the outrageous protestors.

The film has been banned at government level in different parts of the country. At least four Indian states, among them Madhya Pradesh, had banned the film, citing security.

Now 1,908 women have resgistered themselves at Chittorgarh, a city in Rajasthan state, to commit Jauhar (honor suicide) against the movie.

“Those women will commit Jauhar if Padmaavat is not banned in the country,” said sources.

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Hundreds of women clad in red dress also organised a protest march in Chittorgarh calling for the ban.

This should be noted that filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has even invited fringe outfit Rajput Karni Sena and other Rajput associations to watch the troubled flick.

Padmaavat ran into trouble after groups critical of the project accused its director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, of distorting history by portraying a Muslim ruler as the “lover” of Queen Padmavati of the Hindu Rajput warrior clan.

The filmmakers of the historical drama had to list disclaimers through front page advertisements in newspapers clarifying that the movie never had dream sequence involving Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmavati.

A school in Madhya Pradesh was also vandalised by protesters  as a part of their furore after students danced to a song from the film, which is set to open in theatres on Jan 25.

Despite the scrapping of the ban by the Supreme Court, fears of protests, particularly by right-wing groups, such as the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, still overshadow screenings.