Padmavati is based on a 1540 poem by the Sufi writer Malik Muhammad Jaysi. In the UK, the charity is upset because it believes the film has been falsely presented as historically accurate. Specifically, they believe, it wrongly places Padmini as the “motive behind the Chittor siege in 1303”. They say the siege was part of an imperial push by the Muslim forces and a contemporaneous account does not mention Padmavati, who was added in later tellings.

“Padmavati is a revered figure in India and she represents the national pride like Marianne in France and King Arthur in GB,” Rajput Samaj of UK wrote to the BBFC. “Efforts of [the] directors to glorify Alauddin Khilji are similar to glorifying Isis terrorists for killing and enslaving Yazidi girls in this modern world. We must stand up against the glamorisation of plundering, looting, and other barbaric acts.”

The charity told the BBFC: “We understand that experts can judge the violence, language, and scene but we need to find the right historians who can watch the film and stop the character assassination of Indian icons.”

The Hindu extremist group, Karni Sena, threatened to torch any British cinema that screened the film. The Indian censor is still considering whether to approve it for release there.

However, the decision of the UK authorities to approve the film prompted a leader from Karni Sena to threaten to take their campaign to the UK.

“Every theatre screening Padmavati will be burned,” Sukhdev Singh told the Mumbai-based Republic TV. I myself wanted to go [to the UK] to protest but the Indian government has confiscated my passport.”

It is unlikely, however, that the Karni Sena, a fringe group in India, has members in the UK and Rajput Samaj of UK was keen to stress it did not back calls for violence.

Though few people outside its cast and crew have seen the film, rumours that it included an intimate dream sequence between Padmini and the invading king have fuelled months of violent protests across India.

Rajputs, a traditional warrior community to which Padmini was said to belong, have been particularly outraged by the film and by clips of Padukone dancing and showing her midriff, which they say is a “distortion of history”.

The BBC reported on Friday that a body had been found hanging outside a fort in Rajasthan, along with a warning note mentioning the film that read: “We don’t burn effigies, we hang.”

Though historians say there is little evidence that Padmini really existed, she has attained huge symbolic importance among Rajputs. Bhansali has repeatedly clarified that the film contains no love scenes and tried to dampen the outrage by working with activists to cut parts of the film that may be controversial.

The Indian supreme court agreed on Thursday to hear a petition next week asking that the film’s UK release be banned.

Lawyers said it was unlikely the court could prevent an overseas debut, though the film’s producers have already said they would await the Indian censor’s approval before distributing the movie worldwide.

Hysteria over the film has grown as its scheduled December release date has approached, fanned by leading politicians including members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP).

The party of the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has regularly been accused of indulging extremist groups that share its Hindu nationalist ideology and who have been implicated in a wave of attacks in recent years, especially against Indian Muslims.

A BJP officer in Haryana state, Surajpal Amu, was asked by the party to explain remarks he gave a rally this week that he would pay 10m rupees to anyone who beheaded Padukone and Bhansali. At least five states including Punjab, led by the opposition Congress party, have also banned the film’s release.

Padukone has described the threats against her life as “absolutely appalling”. “What have we gotten ourselves into? And where have we reached as a nation?” she said this week.

The actor, who recently starred alongside Vin Diesel in XxX: The Return of Xander Cage, is believed to have cancelled an event this weekend with Ivanka Trump as a result of the controversy. Trump is visiting India to speak at a business summit in Hyderabad.

Amidst relentless protests of banning the Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial Padmavati, the release date of the film has gone for a toss for an uncertain period of time. After the Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh starrer (which was slated to release on 1 December) was postponed, the December release calendar looks quite different.

While initially, the beginning of the month was anchored by Deepika’s Rs-190-crore period drama, the end had Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif starrer Tiger Zinda hai to give 2017 a good wrap at the box office

1 Decemeber will also have a much talked about Hollywood flick based on The New York Times bestseller novel, titled Wonder, starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson.

However, with one big budget film taking back foot, a few other filmmakers are drawing advantages from it. Fukrey Returns and Monsoon Shootout, which earlier had different release dates, now have revised ones and will hit the big screens on 8 December.

The second installment of the Fukrey franchise has almost all the actors from the first part including Pulkit Samrat, Richa Chadha, Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh and Ali Fazal. The plot of the second part will stick to genre of action comedy just like the previous part.

After a long wait of four years, the Vijay Varma and Nawazudin Siddiqui starrer Monsoon Shootout is finally all set to release on 8 December. While earlier, the makers selected a slot alongside Tiger Zinda Hai, after the news of Padmavati‘s release being voluntarily withheld, producer Guneet Monga opted for the second Friday of the last month of the year for the due release.

“For almost a year, we were travelling across festivals with the film and then we wanted to wait and release the film when we felt the time was right. We had a successful release of Haraamkhor earlier this year and 2017 has proven to be a year when good content films were being accepted. So we feel now is the best time to release the film,” he was quoted as saying by Koimoi.com.

Among all the Hollywood releases, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle will release release on 15 and 29 December respectively.

This is how the December chart of the major releases now looks like:

1 December —  Firangi, Brij Mohan Amar Rahe, Wonder, Wonder Wheel

Even as the controversies surrounding Padmavati continue to flare up instead of dying down, more and more people are coming out in support for either side. Among the celebrities that have come out in support of the film’s director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and star Deepika Padukone, are veteran actors like Shabana Azmi and Kamal Hassan, but many prominent names haven’t made their views on the issue public. 

While Bollywood’s major stars, including the Khans may be wary of openly airing their opinion for fear of a backlash, that hasn’t stopped them from reaching out to support Deepika privately.

The controversy over Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s mega movie `Padmavati’ refuses to die with the royal family of Jaipur jumping on to the bandwagon. The release date of film Padmavati has been deferred. The voice of support can be heard from some corners of the Bollywood fraternity. 

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi took Twitter to express her support.

Ad film director Gauri Shinde said on Twitter. 

Actress of Anarkali of Aarah Swara Bhaskar also registered her support for Padmavati on Twitter. 

Some more…

Karni Sena is consistently threatening Actress Deepika Padukone and Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

The Bollywood film Padmavati, based on a poem about a Rajput queen written by 16th century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi, has sparked protests across the country over “misrepresentations” and “distortion of facts”

Responding to the controversy, leading lady Deepika Padukone said, “As a woman, as an artiste, as someone who has worked and given two years of my life to this movie, I feel hurt, I feel angry , but I also think it is extremely funny that people are reacting like this to a film. I am feeling so many emotions at this point.”

Perturbed but not silenced, Deepika, however, continues to promote the film in her capacity. While talking to DNA After Hrs, the actress said, “I have full faith in the judicial system of our country. I know no wrong will be done.” She has received protection from Mumbai police and is currently function amidst high security. Mumbai police have even warned protestors to maintain law and order and abide only by the constitutional freedom given to them. 

BJP Leader threatens Deepika and Ranveer

The vitriol over Bollywood film Padmavati went up a notch as a BJP office bearer from Haryana said he would double the bounty on the heads of actor Deepika Padukone and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, to Rs. 10 crore. Surajpal Amu, the party’s chief media coordinator who made the announcement, also threatened to “break the legs” of Ranveer Singh, who plays the role of Alauddin Khilji, the Delhi Sultan obsessed about the legendary 13th Century Queen of Chittor.

After the most vocal group Rajput Karni Sena, which had attacked Bhansali in Jaipur and vandalised a theatre in Noida few days ago, now threatening to harm the lead actress Deepika Padukone by referring to the nose chopping of ‘Surpanakha’, few more shocking threats have been issued by outfits around the country.

Karni Sena President Threatens to chop off Deepika’s nose.

Gossip mills have been in overdrive with rumours of his relationship with actress and “Padmavati” co-star Deepika Padukone, but Ranveer Singh has always chosen not to speak about it. The actor says he prefers to be protective about his personal life.

“The thing is I find that there is too much scrutiny anyway, and I don’t want to encourage it or add to it. So, I am very protective about my personal life. I would like to protect a few aspects in my life,” 

“I am mostly open and honest, but there are some aspects that I choose to protect and I hope people respect my decision,” the actor, the recently-appointed ambassador of eyewear brand Carrera, added.

The 31-year-old star has been a part of the industry for over six years and has worked in hit films like “Band Baaja Baaraat”, “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela”, “Dil Dhadakne Do” and “Bajirao Mastani”.

He describes his experience in the Hindi film industry as magical.

“I genuinely believe that I am living a dream. Every day when I wake up, I can hardly believe that I am a mainstream actor who works in Hindi films. Working in mainstream Hindi films has been my dream ever since I was a little kid,” he added.

The actor, who was also lauded for his role in “Lootera”, says he has learnt so much by collaborating with many gifted people who have enriched his life and creativity.

“My work has been appreciated and I have learnt from the highs and, more so, from the lows. I have become more of a well-rounded person thanks to my experience,” he added.

Ranveer’s next film is “Padmavati”, directed by ace filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film also features Shahid Kapoor and Deepika.

This is not the first time that Ranveer is working with Bhansali. They last worked together for “… Ram-Leela” and “Bajirao Mastani”.

“I have learnt the maximum from him (Bhansali). He has moulded me as an actor and shaped me as a creative person. He has been a tremendous influence on me. Some of the greatest learnings that I’ve had are by simply observing the way he goes about his work… He really is the epitome of someone who believes that the process is the prize,” he said.

The “Ladies vs Ricky Bahl” actor feels honoured to be working with the filmmaker for the third time.

“It’s a matter of great honour that I have been selected to be his leading man for the third time in a row. That in itself is a great achievement to me. And I hope to collaborate with him and continue to make memorable cinema,” he added.

Talking about “Padmavati”, which was recently in the line of fire, Ranveer said: “It is an extremely fascinating story… I am overjoyed that we have one of the most talented actors in Hindi film, Shahid Kapoor, joining the team this time… The way it’s shaped up has me really excited. I have gone and seen the rushes of whatever we’ve shot so far and there’s a long way to go.”

Sarkar 3′ release date shifted to April 7

‘Munnabhai 3′ script ready, superb story: Arshad Warsi

]]> https://glint.tv/movies/film-fraternity-stands-united-with-sanjay-leela-bhansali/ Sat, 28 Jan 2017 13:57:20 +0000 https://glint.tv/?p=7413

In a death blow to creative liberty, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was roughed up by a Rajput youth group called Karni Sena in Jaipur. The director was attacked for making a film on the life of Rani Padmini with focus on her affair with Allaudin Khilji. Not only was Bhansali attacked by the Padmavati set at the Jaigarh Fort was also vandalized.

The members of the Karni Sena reached the fort to stop the making of the film till the filmakker changed the alleged distorted narrative and things went out of hand. For Bollywood this is certainly a shocking incident where the creative liberty of the filmmakers stands at stake.

Shocked and appalled by the incident so many artists and filmmakers took to Twitter to show their solidarity with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Padmavati. They also condemned the horrific attack on the filmmakers rights and freedom.

Amid the chaos, an old tweet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gone viral on social media in which he had written that art cannot have any restrictions.

“Art can’t have any restrictions or limits: PM @narendramodi,”

Tweeted PMO India when Modi inaugurated a new building of the Bombay Art Society in Mumbai. “Art brings our history to life,” he had said at the event. But the tweet is being massively shared on social media because of the incident that happened yesterday which is nothing but restricting art.

 

A gentle reminder sir… a couple of days after republic day if we as an industry have to deal with such humiliation for expressing ourselves , it’s frankly very disheartening . Please stand up for us.. #padmavati

A photo posted by sonamkapoor (@sonamkapoor) on Jan 27, 2017 at 10:20pm PST

Here’s what the Film Fraternity has to say about the attack:

Can once the whole film industry come together and take a stand, and refuse to be a pony that all bullshit and bullshitters ride on?? — Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) January 27, 2017

At the same time Shame on you Karni Sena, you make me feel ashamed to be a Rajput.. bloody spineless cowards .. — Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) January 27, 2017

A film that is not yet made, but the whole world knows the script and what it’s going to be. Such visionaries.. waah — Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) January 28, 2017

My fellow film folk, if we do not unite now against these recurring incidents of bullying, it’s going to get much worse. #IstandbySLB — Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) January 27, 2017

If u don’t like what he’s making, don’t watch his film. What’s with the violence?? Apart from a vulgar display of self righteousness..

— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) January 27, 2017

And for all those so called protectors of history!!! Have you read the script of the film??? Do you know facts??? So then just SHUT UP!!!! — Karan Johar (@karanjohar) January 28, 2017

The Actors of the film Padmavati also took to twitter:

As a team, we are making ‘Padmavati’ keeping in mind the sensitivities and emotions of the people of Rajasthan and the Rajput community. — Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) January 28, 2017

Our only endeavour is & has always been to share with the world the story of this courageous & powerful woman in the purest form there is.

— Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) January 28, 2017

Our only endeavour is & has always been to share with the world the story of this courageous & powerful woman in the purest form there is. — Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) January 28, 2017

Our only endeavour is & has always been to share with the world the story of this courageous & powerful woman in the purest form there is.

— Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) January 28, 2017

Very very sad. Words do fall short and feel too little to express feelings. Violence is unacceptable. This incident has shocked me. — Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) January 28, 2017

Sanjay bhansali is a film maker who the country should be proud of. You will know when u see #padmavati the dignity he brings to it.

— Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) January 28, 2017

And my only regret is that I wasn’t by his side when this happened.   — Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) January 28, 2017

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has cancelled his shoot in Jaipur and returned to Mumabi. We hope that the perpetrators are punished for their wrongdoings.

Click to watch the fun video:

Watch Alia Bhatt and Kunal Kapoor’s funny and spicy quick fire answers. Dear Zindagi movie makers and dating app Tinder joined hands for this promotional event. A must watch as Alia speaks about love, dating and friendship.

The ‘Udta Punjab’ actor visited the set of “Padmavati” and said, “I went to the set of Padmavati. It was lovely meeting with Sanjay Sir (Leela Bhansali) and Deepika (Padukone). She was looking very gorgeous.”

Deepika Padukone in Padmavati

The actress was speaking in a media interaction for her upcoming film “Dear Zindagi” on Thursday, where she spoke about the film, her co-star Shahrukh Khan and her director Gauri Shinde.

Asked about her experience working with a superstar like Shahrukh Khan, she said: “I can’t explain it in a word or line. It was a new experience working with Shahrukh Khan and Gauri Shinde for the first time. Genuinely ‘Dear Zindagi’ is a different type of movie.”

“When I read the script for the first time, I immediately connected with it as I had never looked at problems or life from that angle. So I feel that not just youth but every one will connect to the film. There is a family angle too and parents will also learn from it. So, I think friends, elders and everyone will connect to it,” Alia revealed.

Alia, 23, who has been appreciated for her choice of movies, said, “I always go with my instinct when I read a script. When ‘Dear Zindagi’ was offered to me, I instantly connected to the script. I didn’t have any doubt about it. That time Shahrukh wasn’t onboard as She (Gauri Shinde) was about to approach him. Altogether it was a unique experience for me.”

“Dear Zindagi” is set to hit theatres on November 23.

Actress Deepika Padukone, who has completed nine years in Bollywood, feels she has just started in the film industry and says she is ready for bigger challenges like “Padmavati”.

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“I don’t feel like I have completed nine years. I feel like I have just started off. I feel like I have a lot more to give. I feel like I am ready for even more challenging roles and films. And I am excited about one of those experiences because ‘Padmavati’ is going to be extremely difficult,” Deepika said.

“But I think I’m ready for that experience and that journey,” Deepika added, speaking at the red carpet for Lux Golden Rose Awards on Saturday night.

The “Bajirao Mastani” star was also happy to talk about her debut film “Om Shanti Om” being made into a Japanese musical.

“They are making it into a play and the Japanese people loved Shantipriya (her role in the movie). The premiere of the musical is going to be in July next year. Most probably, Farah Khan and I would be going together for that,” she said.

IANS

Actress Deepika Padukone is heading to Bengaluru to celebrate Diwali with her family members. She says the festival has always been special to them.

“Diwali is the festival of lights, joy and happiness and has always been a very special festival for all of us. So I decided to spend quality time with my family before I immerse myself in ‘Padmavati’,” Deepika said in a statement.

Also Read : Deepika Padukone is now Asia’s most followed woman on Twitter

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Interestingly, the family members’ names also signify light: father Prakash, mother Ujjala and sister Anisha. The meaning of Deepika’s name is also light.

After Diwali, Deepika will soon be starting the shoot for “Padmavati”, helmed by director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. She has earlier worked in films like “Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela” and “Bajirao Mastani”.

“Padmavati” also features actors Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor in key roles.

IANS

It’s finally happening! Shahid Kapoor has agreed to work in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati opposite Deepika Padukone. Bhansali’s Padmavati is going to be another love saga, featuring Shahid, Deepika and Ranveer Singh.

Bhansali’s had to do a lot of convincing for getting Shahid as the second lead in the movie. Sasha will be playing Deepika’s husband in the love story, as Raja Raval Ratan Singh, according to reports.

This is not all, as Shahid has also received a hefty paycheck for accepting a second-lead in the movie. He has been paid about 40 percent more than the amount he normally gets.

“Shahid will be paid around Rs 8-10 crore for Padmavati which is the highest he has got till date. Usually Sasha gets paid around Rs 6-7 crore, but for this film he is getting a higher amount and the reason behind it is that he is playing the second lead.”

“Also there was no other actor who was ready to play the role of Raja Raval Ratan Singh and SLB was left with no option but to pay this huge amount to Sasha,” a source informed.

Also Read: Kareena Kapoor congratulates Shahid Kapoor on birth of baby girl

For Padmavati, a huge is been constructed at the Mehboob Studios. The set will resemble Chittor, the place where the movie is been based. Meanwhile, Deepika will be playing Rani Padmavati, while Ranveer will be essaying the role of Alauddin Khilji.