The parapets of the Chittorgarh Fort that have been witness to the life of queen Padmawati aka Padmini today saw the protest organised against the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmawati.
The protest was led by Rajput Karni Sena and Rajput community and was joined by the local unit of Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal along with local Muslim organisations. Rajput women too took part in the protest in Chittorgarh, the city whose history is depicted in the film Padmawati. Local trader bodies also supported the protest by Rajputs and businesses in the city were shut down for two hours.
The protesters led by the founder patron of the Rajput Karni Sena, Lokendra Singh Kalvi, burnt the effigy of Bhansali and gave a memorandum to the Collector demanding that the film not be released. The women in traditional Rajput attires were raising slogans against Bhansali.
“We demand a ban on the release of the film. We do not trust Bhansali and he has not honoured the agreement he made with us. Our agreement had 4 points;
- Screening of film at pre-sensor board stage to our panel of historians
- No pre-release activity without taking us in confidence
- No dream love sequence between Khilji and Padmawati
- No commercial cashing in on the personal love life of Deepika and Ranveer Singh who play Khilji and Padmawati by distorting history and dignity of Padmawati.
Bhansali has gone back on his word. We do not want any compromise. We demand a ban. Nothing less,” said Kalvi.
Padmawati is based on the life of the valiant queen of Chittorgarh. Tales of her beauty mesmerised Allaudin Khilji and he expressed the desire to see her. Cutting the tale short what ensued was a battle, and when Padmawati got the news of the defeat and death of her husband, she along with thousands of women committed jauhar inside the Chittorgarh Fort. All Khilji found when he reached there were her ashes.
The Rajputs are unhappy ever since they came across an interview of Ranveer Singh where he spoke about a dream love sequence between Khilji and Padmawati. Earlier this year, members of the organisation had manhandled Bhansali while he was shooting in Jaipur. They had reached an agreement with Bhansali productions about Padmawati not being projected contrary her dignity.
Incidentally, Rajput Karni Sena is the same organisation that had opposed Ashutosh Gowarikar’s film Jodha Akbar. The protests had turned so widespread that no cinema hall agreed to release the film and ultimately Jodha Akbar was not released in Rajasthan. Rajput Karni Sena wants to repeat the feat with Padmawati.
