‘Padmavati’: Trouble mounts for Sanjay Leela Bhansali – Deets inside

Mumbai: Sanjay Leela Bhansali must be extremely upset with the way things are shaping up. One of his most ambitious projects – Padmavati – starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh – has been making news for all wrong reasons. And the trouble just doesn’t seem to end.

This time, Ranveer has nothing to do with the latest controversy lurking around ‘Padmavati’. The issue is that Hardik Patel, the face of Patidar reservation agitation in Gujarat, has reportedly threatened to go on a strike if the filmmaker fails to portray Rani Padmavati accurately based on historical facts.

According to a report in Indianexpress.com, originally attributed to Ahmedabad Mirror, members of Rajasthan-based Rajput Sena have approached Patel with a complaint against SLB. They have even threatened to disrupt the shoot in Gujarat.

“Every person is proud of Maharani Padmavati, who sacrificed her life for the self-esteem of Chittorgarh. Along with 1,600 other queens, she died of jauhar, (self-immolation) when Alauddin Khilji had attacked Chittorgarh. However Rajasthan-based Rajput Sena’s members met me and informed that SLB has not studied the history, and could damage the image of Rani Padmavati. So, we’ve informed him to stop the production of the film and hold discussions with Rajput leaders before he begins shooting. Bhansali should give assurance of not damaging Rani Padmavati’s image, or else Patidar Navnirman Sena will hold protests against the movie across the country, and will not give permission for the film to release in Rajasthan. No director has the right to damage history for entertainment,” Patel was quoted as saying in Ahmedabad Mirror.

Bhansali’s previous – Bajirao Mastani – too had run into trouble after successors of the Maratha Peshwa objected to the portrayal of the characters in the film that starred Ranveer, Deepika and Priyanka Chopra.