Fringe group announces Rs 1crore for ‘burning Deepika alive’

Bareilly (UP): As the controversy over Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmavati continued to simmer, a fringe group on Sunday targeted actress Deepika Padukone, announcing a reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone “burning her alive”.

Members of the Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha (ABKM) burnt over a hundred effigies of Padukone, who plays legendary Rajput queen Padmavati in the movie, and Bhansali at Damodar Swarup park here and shouted slogans against them.

They also took out a march to the collectorate office and submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate demanding a ban on the release of the movie.

ABKM’s youth wing leader Bhuvneshwar Singh said, “Deepika should know how it feels like to be burnt alive. The actress will never know the sacrifice of the queen. Any person burning her alive will be given Rs 1 crore. We demand that office- bearers of the organisation be shown the movie before it is released.” Asked about Bhuvneshwar Singh’s threatening remarks, superintendent of police Rohit Singh Sahjawan said a report had been sought in this regard.

“We have sought a report from the policemen on duty. Thereafter, action will be taken,” he said.

Padmavati has been facing protests over the alleged “distortion of historical facts” in the film.

Earlier this year, Bhansali was roughed up by members of the fringe group Rajput Karni Sena in Jaipur. Its elaborate sets were also vandalised during shooting schedules in Jaipur and Kolhapur.

Padukone and Bhansali have also received threats. Their security has been beefed up by the Mumbai police.

Earlier in the day, the movie makers announced that the release of Padmavati was deferred.

In a statement to PTI, a spokesperson of Viacom18 Motion Pictures said it had taken the decision “voluntarily”.

“Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the studio behind Padmavati, has voluntarily deferred the release date of the film from December 1st 2017,” it said.

The spokesperson said the studio had the highest regard for the law of the land and statutory bodies. 

U.P. deputy CM threatens to stall release of film
The Uttar Pradesh government said on Sunday that it will not let Bollywood movie Padmavati be released in the state unless its “controversial portions” are removed even as the makers of the film deferred its release.

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said the legendary queen had sacrificed her life instead of surrendering before the Mughals and made a place for herself in the history.

“Islamic invaders created a lot of mayhem in the country. The ‘Rani’ burnt herself alive in ‘Jauhar’ for her ‘satitva’ (pride) and dignity,” the deputy chief minister said.