Padmaavat: After Rajasthan, Gujarat bans film

Mumbai: After Rajasthan Chief Minister decided to ban Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, in the state, her Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani announced on Friday that the controversial film will not hit theatres in his state, ANI report suggests.

The Central Board of Film Certification has certified Padmaavat for screening and the film is slated to release on January 25.

Over 70 activists of the Rajasthan- based Karni Sena were detained here today while protesting outside the CBFC office against the clearance given to Bhansali's film which was earlier titled Padmavati.

Over 30 Karni Sena supporters were detained from Haji Ali during another protest, a police official said.

"Over 70 supporters of the Karni Sena were detained from Cumballa Hill area in south Mumbai, while protesting outside the CBFC office without police permission," Zone II Deputy Commissioner of Police Dnyaneshwar Chavan said.

The Rajput Karni Sena on January 10, reiterated its demand for a "complete ban" on the film. Its leader Lokendra Singh Kalvi alleged that history was being tinkered with and there was no room for a compromise with the filmmakers on the issue.

The film was previously scheduled to release on Dec 1.

But the outfit protested against the film's release in Rajasthan and other parts of the country over the portrayal of queen Padmini in it. The group alleged the movie "distorted" history even though historians are divide on whether the queen actually existed.

The filmmakers, too, have denied the allegations.

"The film should be canned and thrown into the flames of Jauhar. We have heard that it is releasing on January 25 and if so happens we will take to streets and appeal our youths to hold public curfew at cinema halls," Kalvi told reporters.

He claimed that a three-member panel that was shown the movie has opined that it should not be released, adding that the film is likely to be shown to another six persons.

"All this should end now and the film should not be allowed to be released to hurt the sentiments of people who are agitating against it," Kalvi said.

He claimed that six states have announced a ban on the movie. "I will hold discussions with Delhi government in this regard."

On December 28, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) decided to give the film a U/A certification along with some modifications and suggested that its title be changed to Padmaavat to befit the source material, Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic of the same name.

(With PTI inputs)