Protests erupted in Rajasthan and Gujarat after, Indian censor board cleared Padmaavat for release. Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone starrer, is all set to release on January 25. But Rajput cast group Shri Rajput Karni Sena is insisting upon the film’s ban, as it reportedly misrepresents the history.
Amidst the protests, a strange incident surfaced when Rajasthan youth climbed up a mobile tower with petrol in a bottle. According to reports, the young man said to come down on the condition of Padmaavat’s ban.
A youth has climbed a 350 feet tall mobile tower with a bottle of petrol in Bhilwara; the protester is saying ‘will come down only when #Padmaavat is banned in the country’ #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/h65ctfbWq1
— ANI (@ANI) 22 January 2018
Suicide Threat over Padmaavat’s Release
Rajasthan youth didn’t say directly to commit suicide. But, his action to climb up the tower with a bottle of petrol, alluded to such intentions. According to the latest reports, said a youth has now come down after people assured him that he wouldn’t be arrested.
#Rajasthan: Youth who climbed a 350 feet tall mobile tower with a bottle of petrol in Bhilwara protesting against #Padmaavat got down from the tower after local administration gave him assurance that no case will be registered against him.
— ANI (@ANI) 22 January 2018
Well, such threats in India over entertaining and cultural events are not new. Last year, Bengaluru threatened mass suicide over Sunny Leone’s performance in the city on New Year’s Eve. The protestors deemed the actress dance on occasion as an onslaught to the Kannada culture.
Why Rajput Community is Seeking Ban over Padmaavat
The film narrates the story of the famous Rajput queen of the fifteenth century. It is all about the alleged relationship between Padmaavat and King Alauddin Khalji. The Rajput community has raised concerns over intimate scenes between the khajli and Padmaavat. The protestors are seeing the film as an onslaught on the honor of Rajputs and a misrepresentation of facts.
Well, the censor board has allowed the release of the film after several modifications, change in the name from Padmavati to Padmaavat being the prominent one. The film’s release that was earlier scheduled for December 1 was postponed previously.
It seems that Rajput community is still not happy with modifications. Hence, it is protesting in Rajasthan and Gujarat to impose the ban.
Ticket counter of a cinema hall in #Hapur vandalised by unidentified miscreants in protest against #Padmaavat yesterday pic.twitter.com/sflsui6EYk
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) 23 January 2018
Impact of Padmaavat Cast on Ban
Padmaavat director Sanjay Leela Bhansali faced many hurdles during the shoot. Apart from threats he also tolerated the attack on the film’s sets. Last year, protesting groups even put a bounty on the head of Deepika Padukone, who is playing the role of Padmaavat. But, it seems that film’s cast especially Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone have not bothered much about all the fuss. The lead actors remained in the news for an anticipated DeepiVeer wedding, like Virushka. The celebrity couple made headlines for spending holidays together and mingling with each other’s families. Padmaavat is all set to release in India on January 25. But, distributors are showing reluctance for distributing the film, given the agitation from the Rajput community.