Sanjay Leela Bhansali cancels 'Padmavati' shoot, day after being assaulted by Karni Sena in Jaipur

New Delhi: One of the most renowned filmmakers in B-Town Sanjay Leela Bhansali met with an untoward incident while he was shooting for 'Padmavati' in Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur. A local activist group named Karni Sena vandalised the film sets and assaulted the filmmaker.

Reports suggest that Sanjay Leela Bhansali was slapped and his hair was pulled by the protestors demanding to stall the film, as they alleged it distorted historical facts. According to DNA, Bhansali has now decided to stop shooting the film there and is set to return to Mumbai along with his entire 'Padmavati' crew. However, no official word has been made by the director on the matter as yet.

A day after this fiasco, the entire film fraternity has expressed its anger and shock over the way violent means were undertaken to stall the shoot. From Karan Johar, Hrithik Roshan, Arjun Rampal to Anurag Kashyap, Kabir Khan and Farhan Akhtar to name a few—all have raised their concerns demanded stricter action being taken against the people to took to violence.

PTI quotes district president of Karni Sena Narayan Singh as saying, “We had warned the filmmaker against presenting wrong facts. When we came to know about the shooting, we gathered there and protested.”

Another activist Vikram Singh said the film is presenting wrong facts about Padmavati. "Our basic protest is about distortion of historic facts which will not be tolerated," he said.

"The filmmakers have assured that they will not shoot here and will pack up," DCP North Anshuman Bhomia said. He said that there was no report of firing and no FIR has been lodged by any party so far.

Lokendra Singh Kalvi (Founder, Rajput Karni Sena) told ANI, "Mere liye doob marne wali baat hai agar iss tarah ki chizein bardasht karein. Itihaas ko banaane ke liye purvajon ne jaan di.Kya isi chiz ke liye humare purvaj mar mitey? Ye bardasht ki seema se bahar hai."

He added, "Kya maalik, police aur forest department ki manzoori thi? Kis adhaar par waha filmaankan ho raha tha? Kya Sanjay Leela Bhansali ko humse milney mein itna gurez tha ki hawaai fire karne padey? 3 hawaai fire hue humare bachcho pe.”

"Police ko evidence de diya hai ki 2 fire huey jab Rajput Karni Sena Sanjay Leela Bhansali se milne ka prayaas kar rahi thi. Jodha-Akbar bhi roka tha, ye (Padmavati shooting) bhi rok denge. Publicity se hume kya milne wala hai?"

Meanwhile, Film and TV Producers Guild of India has written to Centre, seeking assurance on protection measures for fraternity people, reports ANI.

(With agency inputs)