Historians remain doubtful of Padmavati's existence

Even as the furore about Padmavati's portrayal in a film refuses to die down, historians question the queen's very existence

After two song and dance routines at the beginning of the Anita Guha-starrer, Maharani Padmini (1964), when Ratan Singh, the ruler of Chittor, tells his queen he cares for her more than his Rajput sword, Padmini demurs. 

Right before the film begins, its makers, having duly thanked the government of Rajasthan and the Archaeological Survey of India, explain to viewers that they relied on sonnets by bards and oral traditions for the story. This may well be how Sanjay Leela Bhansali had planned on introducing his film, Padmavati, starring Deepika Padukone, to present-day audiences, but how would we know? Its release