Padmavati: CBFC move fails to mollify Rajputs; splinter group warns of violence

The Central Board of Film Certification’s move to clear controversial film Padmavati with some modifications and likely change in the title to ‘Padmavat’ has failed to mollify the Rajput community in Rajasthan.

“Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had its examining committee meeting on December 28 to review Padmavati and decided to give it UA certificate along with some modifications and likely change of the title to Padmavat. Certificate to be issued once required and agreed modifications are made,” ANI tweeted on Saturday.

The screening of the film was held in the presence of committee members comprising regular examining committee members along with the CBFC officials and a special advisory panel. The special panel consisted of Arvind Singh from Udaipur and Dr Chandramani Singh and Prof K K Singh of the Rajasthan University.

Rajput Sabha president Giriraj Singh Lotawara said, “The panel that was formed to watch the movie was of the view that historical facts have been distorted. It shows that CBFC has gone out of its way to help the filmmaker. We will protest if the film is released, and the government will face the music.”

Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, president of Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, a splinter group, warned of a violent agitation if the film is released. “We will vandalize the cinema halls if the movie is released. We want a complete ban,” he said.

Padmavat is an epic written in 1540 by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi and is based on a fictional story about Alauddin Khalji and his desire for Padmavati, the queen of Chittor.

Apart from changing the title, the review committee also sought adding disclaimers, pertinently regarding not glorifying the practice of Sati that has been banned and making modifications to the song Ghoomar. “The members of the special panel also had some reservations regarding the claimed historical events and socio-cultural aspects,” sources said.

Shri Rajput Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi, however, reacted with caution. “There is a lot of speculation, and I would wait for some clarity to emerge before commenting on the issue. For now, I would like to point out that only three of the nine panel members have watched the screening. I have also been told that the CBFC has suggested 26 cuts. So let’s wait and watch,” he told HT.

The panel members from Udaipur, Arvind Singh and Prof K K Singh and Dr Chandramani Singh from Jaipur could not be contacted for comments as their cell phones were switched off.

In November, the Rajput community leaders had rejected filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s contention that the movie ‘Padmavati’ upholds the honour of Rajputs and does not depict anything that may hurt sentiments.

The Rajput Karni Sena, which had demolished the sets of the movie in Jaipur and reportedly hit Bhansali, has also warned the director to show the movie with “historically correct” facts. Later, a set of the film in Kolhapur was also vandalised and set on fire.