Deepika Padukone in Padmavati. (Image courtesy: YouTube)
Highlights
- A man found hanging at Jaipur fort, sign refers to Padmavati row
- Alia Bhatt is shocked by the violent threats
- Deepika and director Bhansali have received several threats for Padmavati
The controversy over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's release-impending film
Padmavati took a dark turn when a
dead body was found hanging at Jaipur's Nahargarh fort with "
Padmavati ka virodh (in opposition to
Padmavati)" scribbled on the wall next to him. The graffiti also included a warning: "We don't burn effigies, we hang them." The horror of the incident did not escape Alia Bhatt, who tweeted: "This is what happens when violent threats are allowed to made openly without punishment. What is happening? Shocked." Deepika Padukone, who plays the titular role, and Mr Bhansali have been on the receiving end of death threats from fringe outfits opposing the film's release for days now.
Recently, actress Sharddha Kapoor also gave a brief statement over the ongoing
Padmavati row. "I think it's very, very unfortunate. It is very saddening what's happening and it's unfortunate. This is what I want to say," she said.
Rajput Karni Sena and several other fringe outfits have protested against the release of
Padmavati ever since the film was work-in-progress. The sets of the film have been vandalized at least twice and director Bhansali was manhandled during the shooting Jaipur. All this was in the name of an alleged romantic sequence between Rani Padmini and invader Alaudin Khilji, which director Bhansali and his team has vehemently denied.
The protests increased after the film's publicity material found its way on the Internet and finally days before the film was slated to hit the screens, the producers announced that they've deferred its release. The announcement came a day after the Central Board of Film Certification refused to review
Padmavati citing 'incomplete application' as reason.
Padmavati was cleared for release in UK but the filmmakers have confirmed that the film will release in India first.