After much speculation about the release, the makers of the film Padmavati have confirmed that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus has been postponed. The film, which stars Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh was supposed to release on December 1, earlier.

The film was in the news for triggering protests by fringe outfits over its depiction of Padmavati. According to various reports, the Central Board Of Film Certification’s (CBFC) chairman Prasoon Joshi, wasn’t too happy that the film was screened to select individuals on Saturday before it was cleared by the Board. The clearance itself had been under a cloud, since the CBFC claimed the paperwork required for clearance was incomplete, from the makers’ side.

However, in a statement, the makers claim that they’re pushing the film’s release date as a voluntary action. Even as Padmavati was to be released on December 1, it had not yet received clearance from the CBFC. The new release date is yet to be confirmed.

Shahid Kapoor

A spokesperson for Vicome 18 Motion Pictures says, “The studio behind Padmavati has voluntarily deferred the release date of the film from December 1, 2017. Along with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, amongst the most gifted filmmakers of his generation, Viacom18 Motion Pictures has created a beautiful cinematic masterpiece in Padmavati that captures Rajput valour, dignity and tradition in all its glory. The film is an eloquent portrayal of a tale that will fill every Indian with pride and showcase our country’s story-telling prowess across the globe.”

The spokesperson added, “We are a responsible, law-abiding corporate citizen and have the highest respect and regard for the law of the land and all our institutions and statutory bodies, including the CBFC. We always have and are committed to continue following the established procedure and convention. We have faith that we will soon obtain the requisite clearances to release the film. We will announce the revised release date of the film in due course. We stand firm in our commitment to tell endearing tales that resonate with our audiences the world over.”