Now 'Manikarnika' faces allegations of distorting history

Controversy over films based on historical characters fails to die down in Rajasthan as yet another right-wing fringe group Sarva Brahmin Mahasabha has demanded the state government to immediately stop the shooting of the Kangana Ranaut starrer 'Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi'.

The film appears to be heading the "Padamaavat" way, as the group alleged the team of the period drama filming a love song in which Rani Laxmibai romances a British agent of the erstwhile East India Company, a claim which producer Kamal Jain denied.

"We have come to know that the filmmakers are shooting for a love song in which Rani Laxmibai is seen with a British agent of East India Company.

"We suspect that the producers are making the film based on the controversial book, Rani, written by Jaishree Misra, state president of the group Suresh Mishra said.

He said the protest would escalate if the administration failed to ensure that no historical facts are distorted in the epic biographical film.

Shooting would be allowed only after the film owners give an undertaking that no controversial scene would be shown in the movie, he said.

"We will meet the governor and home minister and if the government does not react to our demands, protests will be escalated within three days," he added.

Mishra said that he had written to Jain on January 9 asking him to share the profile of the writers and the historians the producers had consulted.

"In order to check that the issue doesn't blow up like Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmaavat', the government must ensure that nothing controversial is shown in the movie," he said.

When asked about the accusations, producer Jain told PTI that there were "no romantic scene as claimed" by the group and the team had not received any letter as yet.

"There is nothing objectionable in the film. There is no romantic scene as claimed. We are making a story on a great leader like Rani Laxmibai, the story revolves around her and her journey.

"It hurts when people say things like this against a woman who fought for the country. We have nothing to hide, anyone can come and talk to us. We haven't got any letter yet. We do not fear anything as we know what we are showing in the film," he said.

The film is being shot at Malsisar town in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan.

The filmmakers had also shot some scenes at Amber Fort in Jaipur in October 2017 and at Jodhpur's Mehrangarh Fort in November last year.

After facing a lot of ire from the Rajput Karni Sena over "distorting history" and "wrongful portrayal of Rani Padmini", Bhansali's "Padmaavat" finally released on January 25.