'Padmavati' posters burnt, Karni Sena say they won't allow it to release

Members of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, an organisation representing Rajputs, burnt posters of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming movie ‘Padmavati’ in Jaipur, accusing him of backtracking on a “promise” to screen the film before a panel of intellectuals before its release.

Karni Sena members also threatened to oppose the screening of the movie in theatres if the facts are distorted.

Activists of the group had in January vandalised the set of the movie at Jaigarh Fort, alleging that the director was “distorting facts”.

Actress Deepika Padukone is playing the role of ‘Padmavati’ and Ranveer Singh is playing ‘Alaudin Khilji’ in the historical drama.

Narayan Singh Devrala, district president of the Karni Sena said, “It was agreed upon that the Bhansali team will screen the movie before a panel of intellectuals and historians before releasing its poster. We had asked them to screen the film in Jaipur, which did not happen. So, the posters were burnt yesterday”.

“We want the movie to release but it should have facts,” he said adding that they will oppose the screening of the movie in theatres, if the facts are distorted.

“We do not believe them as similar things have happened at the time of Jodha Akbar (movie starring Hritik Roshan). If they want to show real history then they should screen the movie,” he said.

Patron and founder of the Karni Sena, Lokendra Kalvi said that around 20-25 days ago someone from the Bhansali team wanted them to see the film “but I asked him to show it to the panel of historians and intellectuals for NOC. After which we have not heard anything from them”.

It was there in the “agreement” that the film will be shown to historians before announcing the date and poster release, he claimed.

In March, some miscreants had broken the mirrors in the Padmini Mahal in Chittorgarh Fort where Alauddin Khilji is believed to have seen Rani Padmavati or Padmini.

Shri Rajput Karni Sena claims that the mirror was made years after Padmavati lived and therefore there was no truth in the story.

The members claim that in no book there is a mention that Alauddin Khilji, a powerful ruler of the Khilji dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate in 13th-14th century, fell in love with Padmavati.

Rajasthan Energy Minister Pushpendra Singh had earlier this year assured a section of the Rajput community that the film will not be released in the state till it is screened to community members.