Deepika Padukone's Padmavati Posters Burnt, 'Won't Allow Release,' Says Rajput Group

New Delhi: Two days after the Padmavati first posters featuring Deepika Padukone released, there arrives another threat from Shri Rajput Karni Sena, an outfit of the Rajput community, who object to the nature of reference to historical ruler Alauddin Khilji in Padmavati. The Karni Sena, who has also previously objected to the portrayal of certain historical facts in the movie, burnt posters of the film outside Rajmandir Cinema Hall in Jaipur on Saturday in protest, reported news agency IANS. The Karni Sena is protesting with the claim that director Sanjay Leela Bhansali had promised to the have the movie cleared by the outfit first, before releasing it in theatres but has not followed up. Members of the Karni Sena gathered outside the aforementioned theatre to shout slogans against Bhansali, who was also previously physically assaulted by the Rajput group in Jaipur's Nahargarh Fort.

"While shooting in Jaipur Bhansali had promised to show the film to us and historians before releasing it. But since then no one has contacted us, nor has the film been shown to us," said Narain Singh Divrala, the district president of Karni Sena, reported IANS. Padmavati is scheduled to release on December 1.
 

देवी स्थापना के शुभ अवसर पर मिलिए रानी पद्मावती से #Padmavati @FilmPadmavati pic.twitter.com/hYJonZCEEH

— Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) September 21, 2017

Mr Divrala claimed that Padmavati will not be allowed to open in theatres unless Karni Sena approves of the portrayal of Rani Padmavati, which they claim has allegedly been distorted. "We want him to show the film to the core committee of Shri Rajput Karni Sena and various organizations, including historians, before releasing it. Till then we will not allow the film to be released," he said. The condition he laid down on behalf of Karni Sena is: "If the Karni Sena core committee and historians don't have any problems only then will we allow screening of the movie," reported IANS.

The posters of Padmavati arrived on Thursday and was followed by an immediate threat from the Rajput group: "We will not allow distorted facts to be shown in the film at any cost, and will see to it that the film is not screened in half of India. They are trying to defame Padmavati by distorting historical facts. It is not acceptable," an activist of Karni Sena had told IANS.
 

#Padmavati @FilmPadmavati pic.twitter.com/MenI9N7qFz

— Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) September 21, 2017

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ambitious period piece has been delayed twice already. After the movie began filming last year, sets in Kolhapur were attacked and torched in March, damaging valuable property, props and costumes. In January, Mr Bhansali was targeted while shooting on the sets of the movie in Jaipur's Nahargarh Fort and assaulted by members of Karni Sena.

Apart from Deepika Padukone playing the titular role, Padmavati also casts Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji and Shahid Kapoor as Rani Padmini's husband Raja Ratan Singh.

(With IANS inputs)