Show Padmavati to Rajasthan royal family first to stop protests: Karni Sena

The Shri Rajput Karni Sena (SRKS) has taken a complete U-turn in its stand on the upcoming film Padmavati, which has sparked a host of controversies regarding historical facts being ‘distorted’. From staging massive protests and calling out for a ban on the movie, the SRKS has now insisted on screening the movie to the erstwhile royal family of Mewar.

If the royal family found nothing objectionable, the protests would be withdrawn, the Times of India reported.

An SRKS statement said: "Freedom of expression in terms of art cannot be tolerated when feelings of millions of people hang in jeopardy,” the English daily added.

 

The Karni Sena, in January, demolished the sets of the movie in Jaipur and also thrashed Bhansali, last month, again, had warned the director that he would face consequences if the movie distorted historical facts. Bhansali had been assaulted by activists of the Karni Sena during the shooting of the film in Jaipur in January.

"We have learnt that there is a dream sequence in the movie wherein Rani Padmavati has been shown romancing with Allaudin Khilji. We condemn such a heinous portrayal of our queen. Karni Sena will never allow such a movie to hit the theatres," Mansinh Rathod, who is leading the Gujarat Karni Sena, said. 

 

In March, some miscreants broke the mirrors at the Padmini Mahal in Chittorgarh Fort where Alauddin Khilji is alleged to have seen Rani Padmavati or Padmini. The Karni Sena claims the mirror story was invented years later.

The Sanjay Leela Bhansali film starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh is based on Rajput queen Padmavati.

The movie Padmavati is based on the legend of Rani Padmini, a Hindu Rajput queen, mentioned in Padmavat, an Avadhi poem written by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540, had been facing protests from various groups, including Shri Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly tampering with historical facts.

 

According to Virendrasinh Bhati of the Karni Sena, Bhansali has backtracked from his promise of showing the movie to the Rajput community to get a clearance first. 

The Rajasthan-based outfit had even threatened to chop off the nose of lead actor Deepika Padukone if she did not refrain from making "provocative" statements. 

The fringe outfit had also threatened violence if the movie was released.