Unsure if there’s gain in Padmavati controversy: Industry

Unsure if there’s gain in Padmavati controversy: Industry

Since the day Sanjay Leela Bhansali announced Padmavati, fringe groups like Karni Sena have been protesting against it. But the situation has worsened as the film is slated to release on December 1. While Karni Sena has not only threatened to enforce Bharat Bandh on December 1 to stop the release of the film, Uttar Pradesh-based socio-political group Chatriya Samaj has offered a Rs 5 crore bounty to anyone who beheads director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actress Deepika Padukone.

While full security is being provided to both Bhansali and Padukone, the question remains on whether the controversy is going to affect the release date of the film. On Thursday, there were strong rumours of the film being postponed to January 12 but sources close to the film producers maintain that no matter what, Padmavati will release on December 1. “The makers will release the film on December 1. They will nowhere compromise on the release day. All these rumors are untrue.”

So are the protests fair?
This isn’t the first time a film has faced protests from socio-political groups for its content. On November 17, Marathi film Sandeep Patil’s Dashakriya too faced opposition from Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha. The group claimed that the film has hurt the sentiments of Brahmins by showing them in poor light. Bhansali’s last film Bajirao Mastani, too, faced opposition after the descendants of Peshwa Bajirao and Mastani had accused him of misrepresenting the historical characters and events. But the film released smoothly amidst the controversy.

Lyricist A M Turaz, who has written seven songs in Padmavati says that the group should first watch the film and then take a decision. “Sanjay hasn’t distorted the truth. Once people watch the film, they will get a clear picture. People need to have patience and wait for the film to release.”

Who is gaining what?
The question that’s coming to the mind of the people is who is gaining from the controversy? Are the makers getting free publicity or are these socio-political groups gaining from the film? A source from the film industry believes that both sides are gaining from the controversy. “This controversy has been created unnecessarily. Karni Sena plans to fulfill its political agenda. Elections in Rajasthan will happen in next few months and going by their strategy, Karni Sena plans to stand for the elections. This isn’t the first time a group like this has protested against a film. In addition to this, Bhansali is being egoistic and refuses to come out and speak,” adds the source.

CBFC controversy
On Thursday night, the makers of the film got drawn into another controversy after they screened the film for senior journalists like Arnab Goswami and Rajat Sharma even though it has not been passed by the Censor Board. This has irked Prasoon Joshi, Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification. According to media reports, censorship of the film was delayed after the censor board had sent back the film’s application to the makers on the ground that it was incomplete. In a statement, Prasoon Joshi said, “The film’s application came up this week only for review. The makers know and admit that the paper work is not complete -- the very disclaimer whether the film is a work of fiction or a historical was left blank and not stated -- and on simply and legitimately being asked to provide important documents, target the CBFC for looking the other way and delay’.”

Reacting to Joshi’s statement, Ajit Andhare, Chief Operating Officer, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, tweeted, “What an irony, those who are supposed to watch are looking the other way and we have to run around and show it at other forums to ‘clear’ it.”

A source from CBFC while speaking to Sakal Times, said, “The director and producer are blowing the issue out of proportion. They are trying to gain publicity at the cost of the Censor Board. They had not completed the required document because of which we sent it back to the makers. It is a simple procedure which happens with every other project. We will review the film once they send us back the form.”

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