Padmavati row intensifies; Karni Sena threatens to cut Deepika's nose

Top Stories

 Padmavati row intensifies; Karni Sena threatens to cut Deepikas nose

Mumbai - Deepika in an exclusive interview with IANS said nothing can stop the release of the film.

By IANS

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Fri 17 Nov 2017, 8:04 AM

Last updated: Fri 17 Nov 2017, 10:08 AM

The row over filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati intensified on Thursday after a Shri Rajput Karni Sena member threatened to chop off actor Deepika Padukone's nose amid a call for "Bharat Bandh" (shutdown) on Dec.1 when the film is slated for pan-India release.
The Uttar Pradesh government has also said in a letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ensure that the prospects of public outrage and unrest over Padmavati are considered owing to twisting of historical facts before certification of the film by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
A Meerut resident from the Kshatriya community on Thursday announced a bounty of Rs5 crore on the heads of film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Deepika Padukone for "wrongfully portraying" queen Padmini in their coming film Padmavati.
Thakur Abhishek Som of Sardhana Chaubisi, who claimed affiliation to the Samajwadi Party, said the Kshatriya community will not tolerate wrongful portrayal of the queen and meddling with its rich heritage. 
Earlier on Thursday, Shri Rajput Karni Sena member Mahipal Singh Makrana said in a self-made video that "Rajputs never raise a hand on women but if need be, we will do to Deepika what Lakshman did to Shurpanakha".
Shri Rajput Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi also said at a press conference that they will call for a "Bharat bandh" on Dec.1. 
"We will gather in lakhs, our ancestors wrote history with blood we will not let anyone blacken it; we will call for Bharat bandh on Dec.1," Kalvi said. 
Also, Union Minister Uma Bharti on Thursday lashed out at Bhansali, and tweeted: "If we are talking about the respect of Padmavati, then it is our moral obligation that we respect every woman. Disrespect of the actor or actor of Padmavati is uncalled for and immoral." She added: "The director and his associate as the scriptwriter of Padmavati are responsible for its story. They should have taken care of the sentiments and the historical facts." During the shooting of the film earlier this year, a few members of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena had physically assaulted Bhansali in Jaipur. The party members also set fire to the film's set in Maharashtra.
Various organisations, political parties and individuals have stood up for the Rajput community and have opposed the release of  Padmavati over apprehensions that it distorts history in telling the tale of Rajput queen Padmavati.
The Congress party also said on Wednesday that if there are scenes that hurt the sentiments of a particular community then the same need to be reviewed.
"I have not watched the movie as yet, but definitely the Central Board of Film Certification formulated and formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has seen it and passed it without cuts.
"But any movie that hurts the sentiments of any community... a film is not made to hurt any community," said Congress Spokesperson RPN Singh.
Earlier, on Nov.11, Thakur Anup Singh, National Youth President of the so-called Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to take action against those who were protesting against the film Padmavati.
On the other hand, Deepika in an exclusive interview with IANS said nothing can stop the release of the film.
"It's appalling, it's absolutely appalling. What have we gotten ourselves into? And where have we reached as a nation? We have regressed," Deepika said.
"The only people we are answerable to is the censor board, and I know and I believe that nothing can stop the release of this film," said the actor, adding that the film industry's support symbolises how "this is not about Padmavati... We're fighting a much bigger battle," she added.
On his behalf, Bhansali has clarified through various platforms that the film doesn't show the Rajput community in bad light and has been made keeping all religious sentiments in mind.


More news from