Sanjay Leela Bhansali is one of the more sensitive producers from Mumbai. His latest offering Padmavati has ignited the passion of some Hindus who want the film banned. The film is cleared by the Censor Board and due for release on December 1 this year. The story about the infatuation of the Sultan of Delhi, Allauddin Khilji for the Rajput queen of Chittor, Rani Padmavati forms the basis of the film.
The story is well known in India but in the present atmosphere, the very idea of a Hindu queen committing "Jauhar," ritual suicide by burning to escape the Delhi Sultan, is perceived as an insult by many Hindus.
Allauddin won the battle and sacked Chittor but could not lay his hand on the queen. This has led to a vociferous demand to ban the film and fringe elements from the Rajput community have started protests in various cities of Rajasthan and Gujarat, demanding the film be banned.
Trouble from shooting days
Bhansali has been facing trouble from the Rajput community right from the time he commenced shooting of the film. As reported by Times of India, his set was attacked in Jaipur by an extremist Hindu organisation called the Karni Sena forcing him to shift his shooting schedule to Madhya Pradesh.
Things appear to be getting out of hand and the BJP government with an eye on vote bank politics has allowed the Agitation to spread.
NDTV has reported that some of the extreme elements of the Rajput Samaj have threatened to cut off the nose of Deepika Padukone the heroine of the film.
Agitation
The agitation is mainly confined to Gujarat and Rajasthan and the people agitating are from the higher caste. Generally, the other parts of India are peaceful and no untoward incident has been reported from any other place, apart from a small protest in Bangalore.
The government has however been sitting and watching as the protest gathers steam and dire threats are being hurled against the stars and the producer. The Maharashtra government has now given police protection to Bhansali after one of the members of the Karni Sena threatened to behead him.
Allauddin
Most sensitive Indians would like Padmavati to be released as it portrays a historical fact.
Despite all the shouting by the Rajput and Karni Sena, the fact is Allauddin was a great warrior and the acts of committing Jauhar was a negative concept. This fact is hurting the Rajputs and is mainly the reason for their agitation. Unfortunately, the state and central government are silent and this has emboldened these fringe elements.
