Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has sent an invitation to Shri Rajput Karni Sena and other Rajput associations to watch “Padmaavat”, its patron and founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi said. He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban the film.
In a press conference here on Saturday, Kalvi said the letter has been sent after the date of release of the film has been fixed which shows that this is well-planned gimmick.
“This letter will be put into flames as it is just a part of show-off which has been done in an endeavour to prove that ‘we have invited Rajput community leaders’.”
Kalvi has now appealed to the Prime Minister to ban the film under “section 6 of the Cinematography Act”.
He said: “(A total of) 1908 Kshatriya females have registered their names to perform jauhar in Chittorgarh on January 24 if the film’s screening is not stopped.”
The letter reads that the Rajput community has been misled in this context.
It reads: “The film will maintain the honour and dignity of Queen Padmavati… The dream sequence being talked about in the film is just a rumour and we have already apprised you about the same in the letter sent on January 29, 2017. There is no such scene… We assure that the entire Rajput community will feel proud after watching the film.”
Talking about the move, Kalvi said: “We never asked him to show us the film but we wanted nine historians to be shown the film, out of which the film has been shown to three historians only. On top of it, the advice of these historians was also not considered. We now want that the film should be shown to the six remaining historians as well and their opinion on the same sought.”
He added that the historians have been insulted as their opinions were ignored and the film’s release date was decided.
“Now at this point of time, the only solution is to ban the film completely.”
“Padmaavat” has had a long history of trouble. It stars Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji.
From being assaulted on the film’s set in Jaipur to the set being vandalised in Kolhapur to getting threats from detractors — Bhansali has been facing the ire of organisations that are up in arms against the period drama since its inception — from when it was titled “Padmavati”.
Months after facing opposition, the makers, Bhansali Productions and Viacom18 Motion Pictures, clarified that the film was based on 16th century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s epic poem “Padmavat”, and does not distort historical facts — as was being alleged by some Rajput outfits.
The makers of “Padmaavat” secured a U/A certificate from the censor board after incorporating five modifications, and locked the release date as January 25.
The Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for the all-India release for “Padmaavat” on January 25 by staying the operation of orders by the Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana governments banning its release.
But Kalvi said that “like every year, January 25 will come but (it will) not (be) the day of the release of the film”.
“I feel obliged as Rajasthan and Gujarat film distributors have assured us that the film will not be released,” he said.
He also made an appeal to the “public to impose public curfew”, saying they should not go to watch the film.
Kalvi also said that Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Prasoon Joshi and lyricist Javed Akhtar will not be allowed to attend the upcoming Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF).
