[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The protest is over a purported scene in which a man besotted with a woman’s beauty dreams about her, and both the characters are based on a popular story with little historical basis. Protests persist despite the producer saying there is no such scene in the movie.

The ugly controversy over Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film ‘Padmavati’ turned ominous with a body found hanging at the Nahargarh Fort of Rajasthan’s Jaipur with a note scribbled on a rock nearby linking it to the movie.

The note says in Hindi, “Hum sirf putley nahin latkaate (We don’t just hang only effigies)”. Underneath this is written: “Padmavati”.

The deceased was identified as 40-year-old Chetan Saini. The police said he was strangled using a plastic wire, the police said, adding that his Aadhaar Card was found in his pocket.

Media reports said the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, which is at the forefront of anti-Padmavati protests, has denied its involvement in the incident. Mahipal Singh Makrana, a member of the outfit was quoted as saying, “This is not our way of protest. I want to tell people not to resort to such methods.”

The police said the matter was under investigation and it was too early to comment on whether it was a case of suicide or murder or about who was behind it.

Shri Rajput Karni Sena’s chief, Lokendra Singh Kalvi has also denied any involvement in the case and condemned the incident. The outfit also said that they will withdraw their protest if the descendants of the royal Chittor family give their approval for screening the film in theatres.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1511534822962{margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-bottom-width: 20px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #a2b1bf !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Actress Alia Bhatt expresses shock; Brother of deceased says it appears to be murder

Alia Bhatt expressed her shock in a tweet: “This is what happens when violent threats are allowed to made openly without punishment. What is happening? Shocked.”[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRVRoaXMlMjBpcyUyMHdoYXQlMjBoYXBwZW5zJTIwd2hlbiUyMHZpb2xlbnQlMjB0aHJlYXRzJTIwYXJlJTIwYWxsb3dlZCUyMHRvJTIwbWFkZSUyMG9wZW5seSUyMHdpdGhvdXQlMjBwdW5pc2htZW50JTIxJTIwV2hhdCUyMGlzJTIwaGFwcGVuaW5nJTNGJTIwU2hvY2tlZCUyMSUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0LmNvJTJGaFp3MkVYeXVpaiUyMiUzRWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdC5jbyUyRmhadzJFWHl1aWolM0MlMkZhJTNFJTNDJTJGcCUzRSUyNm1kYXNoJTNCJTIwQWxpYSUyMEJoYXR0JTIwJTI4JTQwYWxpYWEwOCUyOSUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRmFsaWFhMDglMkZzdGF0dXMlMkY5MzQwMDA5ODY0ODU2MTI1NDQlM0ZyZWZfc3JjJTNEdHdzcmMlMjU1RXRmdyUyMiUzRU5vdmVtYmVyJTIwMjQlMkMlMjAyMDE3JTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmJsb2NrcXVvdGUlM0UlMEElM0NzY3JpcHQlMjBhc3luYyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZ3aWRnZXRzLmpzJTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNFJTBB[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Ram Ratan Saini, brother of the man who was found hanging at the Jaipur fort with death notes engraved in protest of Bollywood movie ‘Padmavati’, also said the death has nothing to do with the note written in the rocks.

“My brother cannot commit suicide, it appears to be a murder. Will demand for an investigation into the death. He has nothing to do with it (threat note written on rocks #Padmavati ),” said Ram Ratan Saini, brother of the deceased, reported ANI.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]‘Padmavati’ has been mired in controversies ever since its shooting started, with elements like members of the Karni Sena of the Rajput community and some other groups protesting against the movie, claiming the film distorts ‘historical facts’. The Karni Sena assauled Mr Bhansali and vandalized his set while he was shooting ‘Padmavati’ in Jaipur in January.

Activists of the Karni Sena earlier this month vandalised a theatre in Kota, Rajasthan, over reports that it was showing a trailer of ‘Padmavati’. Threats have been issued to give actress Deepika Padukone, who plays queen Padmini, the same treatment as that given to Ramayan’s Soorpnakha by Laxman by cutting off her nose.

Rewards were announced for beheading Padukone and Bhansali. On November 19, BJP leader Suraj Pal Amu doubled the bounty on Bhansali and Deepika’s head to Rs 10 crores.

‘Padmavati’ was supposed to release on December 1 but it has been postponed indefinitely. It is reportedly yet to be cleared by the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC), whose job is to certify films for viewing by audience of different age groups but is commonly called the ‘Censor Board’ for its tendency to cut scenes it deems ‘inappropriate’.

Meanwhile, ‘Padmavati’ was cleared by the British censors without a single cut on Thursday.

The Delhi high court has dismissed a petition seeking the setting up of a panel prior to the release of film ‘Padmavati’ to ensure there is no ‘distortion of history’. The HC said that the PIL against the release of “Padmavati” is hopeless and misconceived and such pleas are encouraging people who are agitating against it. According to the petition, Padmavati should first be screened in front of three prominent historians from top universities and a retired High Court judge, apart from the Censor Board.

Earlier, the Supreme Court rejected pleas to remove objectional scenes from Padmavati and stall the release of the film, saying it was the CBFC’s job.

Padmavati stars Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmini alongside Shahid Kapoor who plays the role of Raja Rawal Ratan Singh. Ranveer Singh plays the cruel Sultan Alauddin Khilji who is obsessed with the queen’s beauty.

Historians, film personalities and many celebrities have come out in support of the film, while a range of politicians from both BJP and Congress have backed the protestors.

The story of Padmini comes from 16th century poem ‘Padmavat’ written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi.

Though they have not seen the movie, leaders of the Karni Sena and several politicians say the 13th-century queen, Padmini, has been disrespected by Bhansali allegedly in a scene where Muslim invading king Alauddin Khilji dreams that Padmini is romantically involved with him.

So, essentially, the protest is over a purported scene in which a man besotted with a woman’s beauty dreams about her, and both the characters are based on a popular story with little historical basis.

And the protests persist despite the producer saying that there is no such scene in the movie. Bhansali has denied depicting any romance between Padmini and Khilji or any such dream sequence.

This did not prevent several politicians from demanding a ban on the movie, while Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, and Rajasthan have already refused to allow a release of the movie in the state even if it is cleared by the censors.

The lavishly mounted film, starring Deepika Padukone in the title role, and Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, is a joint production by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Bhansali Productions.

Members of the Rajput community continue their protests. There was one in Nangloi area of Delhi, with protests brandishing swords. There were no reports from the Delhi Police about any arrests being made.

On Thursday, Karni Sena had threatened to burn theatres in the UK after the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) cleared Padmavati for the UK audience.

Viacom 18, however, said there was no plan to release the film globally without first getting clearance from India’s CBFC. As the film was supposed to release on December 1, there are over 50 countries where this process (of certification) is on, it was reported to have said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]