20 Times SLB¡¯s ¡®Padmavati¡¯ Landed Into Trouble & Amassed Controversies Before Its Release
Padmavati is one of the dream projects of Sanjay Leela Bhansali that has been in the works for almost a decade. The ace filmmaker wanted the right cast for all the roles, and hence, he waited until last year when he finally roped in Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone.
What took so long? Bhansali wanted to cast the Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam Jodi¡ªSalman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan¡ªbut after their fallout, things got worse and he couldn¡¯t bring them back together on the silver screen.
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Years after when finally the production of the movie began, the movie, unfortunately, got tangled in a loop of controversies.
1. Karni Sena vandalised the sets of the movie.
Rajput Karni Sena protested against the film believing that the movie has a love scene between characters Alauddin Khalji and Rani Padmini. Despite the fact that Bhansali denied the allegations, they protested, vandalised the sets of the film causing humongous damage. Considering the grandeur of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali¡¯s film, one can imagine how much he invests in costumes and sets.
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2. Bhansali was slapped on the sets of his own movie.
It didn¡¯t stop after that. Despite his assurance that there¡¯s no such scene in the movie, Karni Sena¡¯s protests didn¡¯t stop. On the sets of the movie at Amer fort in Jaipur, he was slapped by one of the protesters who also tore off his clothes. The protestors said the movie will showcase the Queen in poor light.
3. Protestors then demanded him to change the title of the movie
After his assault, Bhansali decided to address the issue and hence called for a meeting with the group in order to listen to their demands. The group had three demands¡ªno intimate scene between Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmavati, no distortion of historical facts and a pre-screening of the movie for them before it releases. Apart from this, some of the members also wanted the name of the movie¡ªPadmavati¡ªto be changed.
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4. Jaipur Royal family was upset for SLB didn¡¯t provide them with details on the storyline
¡°Anyone attempting to twist or change the history of Rajasthan will not be tolerated,¡± Former Rajmata Padmini Devi has said in a statement adding that they will take disciplinary action against the officials. Hence, once again, accusations of distorting historical facts were made.
5. Once again, the sets were vandalised, this time in Chittorgarh Fort
Four people entered the sets inside the fort and broke three big mirrors in the palace and ran away, according to the witness. The Rajput group claimed that the mirrors misrepresent the story of Queen Padmini.
6. Film¡¯s set was put on fire in Kolhapur
The vernalisation didn¡¯t stop after that. The sets in Kolhapur were put on fire. While nobody from the cast and the crew was present at that time, there were several animals who were injured. It was said that a horse was badly injured.
About 40-50 people came to the sets along with petrol bombs, stones as well as lathis. The bodyguards and bouncers were present at the location but the fringe activists still managed to cause damage.
7. SLB¡¯s effigies were burned in Mumbai
Karni Sena members burned effigies of the ace filmmaker.
8. The posters of the film were burned with a threat that they won¡¯t allow the movie to be released
A group of protesters gathered in front of Rajmandir Cinema Hall in Jaipur and shouted slogans against Bhansali and burnt posters of the film.
PTI
9. Ahead of Diwali, an artiste Rangoli inspired by Padmavati poster was destroyed by Karni Sena members
It took 48 hours for artisan Karan K. to make a spectacular Rangoli on Deepika Padukone¡¯s look from Padmavati, and it was all destroyed by Karni Sena members in seconds to protest against the release of the movie. ¡°Jai Shree Ram,¡± they hailed as they destroyed the beautiful piece of art.
After the trailer of the movie was released, Rajput Karni Sena was back in action demanding a ban on the movie and threatening to burn the cinema halls where the movie is shown. Amid all this, the movie also got embroiled in a political issue.
10. Former Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela threatened if the movie releases, there will be violent protests affecting the law-and-order.
Former Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela has also threatened the makers that if the movie is not shown to Hindu & Kshatriya leaders, there will be violent protests. So much so, that law and order may go out of control.
¡°As the movie is expected to be released on December 1, I want Bhansali to first show it to Hindu as well as Kshatriya leaders as people suspect that some facts have been distorted and presented in a wrong way in the movie,¡± the Kshatriya strongman said.
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11. BJP also demanded a ban on the movie, asking for a pre-screening for Rajput community.
Party¡¯s spokesman and Kshatriya leader I K Jadeja said that he wants either the film shall be banned or its release to be delayed. ¡°We have received representations from Khastriya, Rajput communities opposing any purported distortion of history and character of Rani Padmavati in the movie. History says that Padmavati never met Allaudin Khilji,¡± he was quoted as saying by TOI.
12. Karni Sena called for a bandh in Chittorgarh
On November 4, Karni Sena called for a bandh in Chittorgarh
"We are not against the movie as such. What we want is that Bhansali's team should screen the movie for historians and intellectuals before releasing it as we are afraid and concerned that historical facts have been distorted in the movie," Vishavbandhu Rathore, Pradesh Mahasachiv Sri Rajput Karni Sena, a Rajput community organisation, told IANS.
bollywoodbee.in
13. Film distributors denied releasing the movie in Rajasthan
Amid the threats of violence and burning of cinema halls, film exhibitors said that they won¡¯t screen the movie without proper security.
¡°Exhibitors will not take the risk of showing a film if there is a threat or possibility of rioting as it seems likely in the case of Padmavati. Damage to their properties can prove to be very expensive if enough police protection is not made available. As of today, there are three states where protests against the films are gaining momentum.¡±
BCCL
14. A former Royal family member threatened against the release of the film
Former princess Diya Kumari, also believing that the film distorts history, warned against the release of the movie. She said that no film should hurt the sentiments of any community by twisting facts, and if that happens, that film won¡¯t be allowed to be released.
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15. BJP MP angered upon Bhansali and said that he only understands the language of shoes.
"People like Bhansali do not understand any other language. People like him only understand the language of shoes. This country will not disrespect Rani Padmavati. We will not tolerate any distortion of our history," the 48-year-old BJP MP of Ujjain, Chintamani Malviya, in a Facebook post on Monday.
bollyworm.com
16. Descendant Of Mewar Royal appealed makers to not mask ¡°masala¡± as history.
Descendant of the Mewar royal family, Baijiraj Trivikrama Kumari Jamwal, who is the daughter of Mahendra Singh Mewar, 76th Maharana of the Mewar dynasty and a former Lok Sabha member, expressed her concern over the release of the film. Saying that she is upset how her family¡¯s name is being dragged into the controversy, she appealed to the makers to not call this ¡°inauthentic venture¡± as history and rather call it a ¡°Bollywood masala.¡±
17. Sanjay Leela Bhansali issued a clarification statement.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali once again clarified that there¡¯s no love scene between the two characters and not even a dream sequence. He appealed people not believe the rumours.
18. PIL seeking ban against Padmavati was rejected by Supreme Court.
Petitioner Kamta Prasad Singhal pleaded that according to Sati (Prevention) Act, the practice was banned and also its propagation. He alleged that the movie shows the practice of Sati and hence it should be banned. On Nov. 10, Supreme Court asked the petitioner to take his plea to CBFC. As the movie was not certified by the court, it couldn't take any action against it.
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19. BJP lawmaker Raj Purohit joined the fight to seek ban on the film
¡°The legendary queen (Padmavati) has been reportedly portrayed in a bad light (in the film). Rani Padmavati never danced, rather all women from royal families lived a very dignified life and whenever they felt that their chastity is in danger, they would jump into fire, so that nobody can touch them. Rani Padmavati was one of them,¡± he said, adding, ¡°Mr Bhansali should be booked on the charge of sedition as he has played with the dignity of the country. We tried our best to meet him, but he did not even bother to meet us and to listen our voice.¡±
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20. Supreme Court also dismissed the plea seeking a stay on the release of the movie.
The bench comprised of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud was hearing the plea of Siddharajsinh M Chudasama and 11 others who wanted the historians to check the facts before the movie hits the screens. The court said that unless the Censor Board Of Film Certification issues a certificate to the movie, it cannot take up this matter.
The furore surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati refuses to die down, it seems. There are 20 days before the movie starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor hits the screen on Dec. 1, and we are hoping that the issues resolve.
Garima Satija leads the Entertainment vertical of Indiatimes. A storyteller at heart who enjoys the thrill of writing, she is sometimes found daydreaming about living the lives of movie characters. Also, she hates talking about herself in the third person.
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