Mathura, 2018.01.25 (VT) Protesters stopped a train and burnt an effigy of film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Padmavat is not being shown in BJP run States and cinema managers in Mathura have confirmed that no cinema in the area will show the film.
On Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of activists gathered at Mathura’s Bhuteshwar Railway Station.The members of several Kshatriya organizations were involved, including the Karni Army and Braj Mandal Kshatriya Rajput Mahasabha (BMKRM). The Chairman of BMKRM, Kunwar Narender, was particularly active in the protests; standing on the train’s engine carriage and shouting that the film must be banned to protect morality. After 4 minutes of demonstrations, the train was able to depart from the station.
A contempt petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the Karni Army and the State Governments because the film is approved for showing by the Central Board of Film Certification. Only the Central Film Board has the authority to decide which films are fit for showing, however, even after gaining approval, it is not possible for Padmaavat to be shown and many acts of violence have been committed in the name of the protection of morality.
The Central Film Board asked for the following changes to be made to the film before allowing its release:
- Change the disclaimer to one that clearly does not claim historical accuracy.
- The title is to be changed from Padmavati to Padmavat– as the filmmakers have attributed their creative source as the fictional poem Padmavat, and not history.
- Modifications to the song Ghoomar, to make the depiction befitting to the character being portrayed.
- Modifications to the incorrect / misleading reference to historical places.
- Addition of a disclaimer which clearly makes the point that the film in no manner subscribes to the practice of Sati or seeks to glorify it.
The release of the film was originally planned for the beginning of December, but was delayed until 25th January due to protests and court cases. In a case filed in the Supreme Court by petitioner-advocate M.L. Sharma, Mr Sharma argued that the film is a character assassination of the 13th Century Queen Padmavati, because she, “was not a dancer. She was a warrior’s wife and a warrior herself”
The Supreme Court refused to interfere in the work of the Central Film Board. Chief Justice Misra reprimanded Mr Sharma, saying, “Pleadings in a court are not meant to create any kind of disharmony in a society which believes in the concept of unity in diversity.”
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