Deepika Padukone is playing the lead in the film Padmavati as Rani Padmini
The Padmavati controversy is getting uglier by the day. After a fringe group, Karni Sena, threatened to chop off actress Deepika Padukone's nose yesterday, Chatriya Samaj, a group from Uttar Pradesh, issued an open threat and announced a reward of Rs 5 crore to any one who beheads Padmavati director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actress Deepika Padukone. Meanwhile, the Mumbai police has given special security cover to the actress following the threats. The film Padmavati that is slated to release on December 1 stars Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. The movie has been embroiled in one controversy after other and the critics are calling for a complete ban on the film. They accuse Mr Bhansali of playing with historical facts and showing Rani Padmini in a bad light.
While fringe groups and Rajput protesters across India are taking to streets - sloganeering, demonstrating and preventing tourists from visiting the Chittorgarh Fort - the social networking site Twitter is abuzz with strong reactions, both for and against the film.
Here are some strong reactions from the ones who want to see Padmavati banned:
A Twitter user calls the film ' Dubai Funded':
Some openly support the fringe group Karni Sena and calls the film 'dilution of historical facts'. Some users also say that in the name of freedom of expression, the film has brought dishonor for Rani Padmavati.Several voices from the film fraternity have come out in support of the film. Veteran actress Shabana Azmi called the beheading threat 'reprehensible' and stated that she stands with Padmavati. Here's her tweet: A twitter user said that a film should not be rejected before seeing: Some users criticized that a handful of fringe groups cannot decide whether majority of Indians should or should not see the film and their undue protest is a 'mockery of democracy', they wrote. While there are many fans who cannot wait to see the film and tweeted support for Deepika Padukone and Sanjay Leela Bhansali: Apart from people taking sides for and against the film, there were some who threw light on more pressing issues: A Twitter user also offered a 'long-time solution':
According to existing norms, the censor board can take about 60 days for a decision on the certification if it follows the prescribed time lines.
Sources indicate that it would be very difficult for the producers to stick to the December 1 schedule if the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) strictly abides by the norms.