Now, no Padmavati screening in Bihar till all parties reach a solution | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Now, no Padmavati screening in Bihar till all parties reach a solution

Hindustan Times, Patna | ByB Vijay Murthy
Nov 28, 2017 05:32 PM IST

Padmavati, based on an epic poem, explores the relationship of a Rajput queen and Muslim ruler Alauddin Khilji. The movie was due to open on December 1 but its producers postponed the release.

Bihar became the fifth state to ban Bollywood movie Padmavati with chief minister Nitish Kumar saying on Tuesday the producers must clarify the alleged distortion of history in the film, which has triggered widespread protests.

A man walks past a poster of the upcoming movie 'Padmavati' outside a theatre in Mumbai.(REUTERS)
A man walks past a poster of the upcoming movie 'Padmavati' outside a theatre in Mumbai.(REUTERS)

The Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, has been embroiled in controversy since its shooting began in January, with fringe outfits alleging it tampers with historical facts.

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“The film would not be released in the state without amicable solution among all parties involved,” Kumar told reporters.

The film, based on an epic poem, explores the relationship of a Rajput queen and Muslim ruler Alauddin Khilji. The movie was due to open on December 1 but its producers postponed the release.

The Rajput Karni Sena as well as the BJP have criticised the film, accusing Bhansali of distorting history by showing the Muslim aggressor as the Hindu queen’s “lover”. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, all ruled by the BJP, banned it outright.

Bihar too had been witnessing protests with members of the Kshatriya Samaj burning effigies of the filmmaker and demanding a ban on the movie.

Minutes before the assembly session began on Tuesday, BJP legislator Neeraj Kumar Singh met the chief minister and submitted a memorandum that highlighted how the film hurts Hindu sentiments.

Kumar’s announcement comes on a day the Supreme Court took strong exception to statements made by people holding high offices against the film.

Dismissing a petition seeking an order to restrain the film’s producers from releasing the movie abroad, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said remarks against the film were equivalent of prejudging the movie, which has yet to get the censor board’s clearance.

Other than leaders of Bihar’s ruling JD(U)-BJP alliance, rivals such as Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad had backed the protests. Prasad, however, retract his statement later.

The RJD chief’s son, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, during his tenure as deputy chief minister, had invited Bhansali to shoot Padmavati when his team was attacked in Rajasthan by members of the Rajput Karni Sena this January.

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