Bhansali attacked: Hansal Mehta blames 'political environment', says won't stand for National Anthem

On Saturday, Bollywood was enraged when filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali was allegedly assaulted by activists of a Rajput community group who also forced stoppage of shooting of his movie 'Padmavati' by vandalising the set at Jaigarh Fort, alleging that the director was "distorting facts".

While Bollywood came out in support of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Anurag Kashyap wrote “Hindu extremists have stepped out of Twitter into the real world now.. and Hindu terrorism is not a myth anymore.”

Meanwhile, Aligarh director Hansal Mehta also took to Twitter to express his support and also hit out claiming that the ‘political environment in our country is encouraging for fringe elements and attack on cultural freedom’. He also hit out at trolls, claiming that since his freedom was being ‘violated’, he would also violate rules claiming he ‘wouldn’t rise for the national anthem’.

He wrote on Twitter: “Our silence=Their strength. Our sycophancy=Our weakness. Our cowardice=Their brazenness. Fraternity=Target. F..k you Karni sena & your ilk. Selective outrage is not enough. Stop playing silent spectators EVERYTIME there is a violation by self appointed custodians of culture. The political environment in our country is encouraging for fringe elements and the attack on cultural freedom. We need to smell the coffee.  Having said that what is worse than political interference is subservience to a repressive regime.”

He added: “You violate my freedom, I will violate your rules. I will not rise for the national anthem before a film. All the abuse directed at me is proof of the kind of viciousness encouraged by our establishment. The very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world. Lies will pass into history. George Orwell. According to my trolls not standing for the national anthem before a film is anti-national. Vandalism, violence, repression are nationalism? So what did being Hindu or Muslim have to do with a case of blatant violation and stupid violence? Radicals and trolls are simply goons. And I am a Hindu and an Indian. My religion and my country don't have such appalling manners as those trolls who claim to be nationalists.”

He also looked to blame the government claiming they were 'vocal about the issue through their trolls'. 

Our silence=Their strength. Our sycophancy=Our weakness. Our cowardice=Their brazenness. Fraternity=Target. F..k you Karni sena & your ilk.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 27, 2017

Well I don't know about worse but its 17 years and these attacks continue... https://t.co/MJByHVtHUw

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 27, 2017

Selective outrage is not enough. Stop playing silent spectators EVERYTIME there is a violation by self appointed custodians of culture.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 28, 2017

The political environment in our country is encouraging for fringe elements and the attack on cultural freedom. We need to smell the coffee.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 28, 2017

Having said that what is worse than political interference is subservience to a repressive regime.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 28, 2017

You violate my freedom, I will violate your rules. I will not rise for the national anthem before a film.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 28, 2017

All the abuse directed at me is proof of the kind of viciousness encouraged by our establishment.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 28, 2017

According to my trolls not standing for the national anthem before a film is anti-national. Vandalism, violence, repression are nationalism?

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 28, 2017

And I am a Hindu and an Indian. My religion and my country don't have such appalling manners as those trolls who claim to be nationalists.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 28, 2017

Don't be mistaken. The govt is not silent on the SLB outrage. It's very vocal through it's trolls who are working overtime to silence us.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 28, 2017

Earlier,  Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, the lead actors of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmavati," have slammed the attack on the director during the shooting of the film in Jaipur's Jaigarh fort. Ranveer, 31, who will be essaying the role of Alauddin Khilji, said their intention is not to hurt anyone's sentiments. "What's happened is very unfortunate. We hope the people of Rajasthan will understand & empathise with our intentions & give us their support. As a team, we are making 'Padmavati' keeping in mind the sensitivities and emotions of the people of Rajasthan and the Rajput community.

"Sanjay Sir is one of the most accomplished & authentic filmmakers we have in India, & he wont ever do anything to hurt anyones feelings," he tweeted. Shahid, who is in the role of Raja Ratan Singh, condemned the assault on Bhansali saying violence is "unacceptable". "Very very sad. Words do fall short and feel too little to express feelings. Violence is unacceptable. This incident has shocked me.

"We need to look deep within as a society, as a country, as a people. Where are we headed," he wrote. Earlier Deepika, the leading lady of the film, had also expressed shock at the incident that seems to have rattled the film fraternity. "In a state of shock!deeply saddened and disheartened by yesterday's events!#Padmavati," she wrote.

"As Padmavati I can assure you that there is absolutely no distortion of history.#Padmavati "Our only endeavour is & has always been to share with the world the story of this courageous & powerful woman in the purest form there is," she added. Bhansali, was shooting for his new film in Jaipur's Jaigarh Fort, when he was assaulted by activists of a Rajput community group, Karni Sena, who also vandalised the set and stalled the shooting.

With inputs from agencies