Padmavati: Ex-royal wants ban on release

As the release date of Bollywood film Padmavati approaches, Rajput groups are vociferously demanding its ban.

On Tuesday, Rajput Sabha, the biggest Rajput organisation of Rajasthan, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a ban on its release.

BJP MLA and Jaipur's ex-royal Diya Kumari, supporting the protest against the film said, "If historical facts are distorted in film Padmavati, it will not be allowed to be released." Diya tweeted, "I will not allow any distortion of the valiant history of Rajasthan & sacrifice of its people in fighting barbarians by movie #Padmavati"

The protest also seems to have won the support of film distributors who have openly refused to release the film in cinema halls in Rajasthan. "After Rajput Karni Sena and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali reach an amicable solution, we will buy the distribution rights," Raj Bansal, a leading film distributor from the state said.

Earlier, thousands of people joined a protest organised by Padmini Johar Sansthan, which organises Johar Mela at Chittorgarh fort every year. The protest was also backed by Rajput outfit Karni Sena.

Rajput groups alleged that the film gives a controversial twist to history and wrongly links Queen Padmavati with aggressive ruler Alauddin Khilji. Protestors vandalised the posters and threatened a statewide stir outside cinema halls if Bhansali fails to remove the scandalous scenes.

No romantic link

Bhansali Production had clarified in a letter to Rajput groups that "there is no romantic dream sequence or any romantic scene between Rani Padmini and Alauddin Khilji" after Karni Sena representatives entered the sets of Padmavati in Jaipur's Jaigarh fort and ransacked the place. They also destroyed expensive film equipment. But Rajput outfits accuse Bhansali of not sticking to his promise.

Historical flick Padmavati, based on 16th century Rani Padmini of Chittorgarh is slated for release on December 1.