Phheeww! Finally Karni Sena withdraws protest against Padmaavat: says it glorifies Rajput Valor

Mumbai, February 3: After a week of release of the most controversial Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmaavat saw a positive sign from the Karni Sena, as the community has declared the withdrawal of the protest.

   

Rajput Karni Sena’s Mumbai leader Yogendra Singh Katar said that a few members of the outfit watched the movie on the directions of the organization’s national president Sukhdev Singh Gogamadi on Friday. He said they found that the movie glorifies the valor and sacrifice of Rajputs, and that “every Rajput would feel proud” after watching it.

The Karni Sena had been demanding a ban on the movie on the grounds that it ”distorts” historical facts and shows queen Padmini in a poor light. Four states – Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana banned the movie. However, the Supreme Court overturned these bans and the film was released on January 25.

The film was released on January 25 but many theatre owners in different states were terrorized into submission and not screening the film.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film — which stars Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khalji and Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh — had been at the center of widespread protests by the Rajput groups and allies since earlier 2017. Organisations such as the Karni Sena not only manhandled Bhansali and disrupted the film's shoot in Rajasthan, they called for a complete ban on Padmaavat's release.