Lok Sabha panel seeks report on Padmavati by November 30

A Lok Sabha committee has asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to submit report on the controversy surrounding filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Padmavati, which stars big names from Bollywood like Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. They have sought the report by November 30.

Officials from the CBFC and the I&B Ministry will also appear before the Parliamentary panel in this regard.

This comes even as reports said that the film, marred by controversy, is unlikely to hit the theatres this year.

The makers of the film had sought expedition of certification process, owing to the protests and politics over Padmavati, but the request was turned down by the Censor Board, which maintained that it would the chronological order as per the list of films pending before it.

Following this, the makers of Padmavati, Viacom18, had announced that it would defer the release of the film.

Meanwhile, the government of many states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, have said that they would not allow the magnum opus to release in theatres if there is any distortion of historical facts in the movie.

Several fringe groups, led by Rajput Karni Sena, have demanded a ban on the movie, terming it as a “disrespect to the Rajput community”. The Karni Sena even alleged that the movie was funded by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Hours after the release date of 'Padmavati' was deferred, a fringe group had targeted actress Deepika Padukone, announcing a reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone "burning her alive", a matter, which the police said, it was looking into.

The Members of the Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha (ABKM) burnt over a hundred effigies of Padukone, who plays legendary Rajput queen Padmavati in the movie, and Bhansali at Damodar Swarup Park in Bareilly and shouted slogans against them.

Meanwhile, breaking his silence on the controversy, actor Ranveer Singh, who plays Alauddin Khilji in the movie, on Tuesday said he stood by the movie and its director Sanjay Leela Bhansali "200 percent".

The film was initially slated to release on December 1.

(With agency inputs)