The release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movie Padmavati starring Deepika Padukone has been postponed amidst violent protests, death threats and controversy.
A fringe caste group Shri Rajput Karni Sena has led the protests and issued threats against the makers and the actors of the film. The outfit has threatened to “cut off Deepika’s nose” and behead Bhansali.
However, one of the most bizarre incident occurred when one of the spokespersons of the Karni Sena, during an appearance at an Indian news channel, pulled out a sword and brandished it on live television.
Their claim was that the sword represents the “Rajput pride” which Bhansali is allegedly hurting.
The spokespersons, however, could not answer any questions when asked what year or century was it when the Alauddin Khilji conquered the kingdom of Mewar.
The supporters of the Karni Sena have shut down the entry to the famous Chittorgarh Fort, and hung effigies of Padukone and Bhansali from a tree.
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On November 19, the film producers announced it had “voluntarily deferred the release date of the film” from December 1, 2017 and did not say when the film would be released.
Activists of the Karni Sena had also vandalised a theatre in Kota, Rajasthan, over reports that it was showing a trailer of Padmavati.
In January, activists of the Karni Sena had misbehaved with and manhandled the crew of Padmavati in Jaipur, claiming that Bhansali was “distorting” historical facts in the movie. They had also damaged some cameras and other equipment and the shoot had to be stopped.
In March, some miscreants broke the mirrors at the Padmini Mahal in Chittorgarh Fort where Alauddin Khilji is alleged to have seen Rani Padmavati or Padmini’s reflection. The Karni Sena claims the mirror story was invented years later.
