Padmavat row: Deepika Padukone film not to release in Rajasthan despite CBFC clearance

After facing several roadblocks, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial film Padmavati -- retitled Padmavat -- seems set for a January 25 release.

After many hiccups, the Central Board Of Film Certification, popularly known as censor board, has finally cleared Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film for a pan-India release, but that’s not good enough for the state of Rajasthan. The state government is still not ready to let the film hit the screens on its territory.

Deepika plays the titular role in Padmavat.

On Monday, ANI tweeted a statement by Rajasthan’s home minister Gulab Chand Kataria which reads, “Following earlier orders of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, movie Padmavat will not be released in the state.”

After facing several roadblocks, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial film Padmavati retitled Padmavat, seems set for a January 25 release, sources in Viacom18 Motion Pictures said today.

In November, Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje had written a letter to Union information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani, seeking “necessary changes” in the movie before its release, so that the “sentiments of any community are not hurt”.

The film, mired in controversy over its plot line, has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which has asked the makers to change the title and suggested other modifications.

The film was earlier scheduled to be released on December 1. Though Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Sanjay Leela Bhansali have not released an official statement yet, sources in the production house said the film will release on January 25, a day before Republic Day. “The film is releasing on January 25. There is no clarity when the official statement will be out regarding this,” sources in Viacom18 Motion Pictures told PTI.

Padmavat stars Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in pivotal roles. The film will clash with Akshay Kumar’s Padman.