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The release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial film ‘Padmavati’ has been “deferred voluntarily”, said Viacom18, the makers of the film.
The film was originally scheduled to release on 1 December.
Several Rajput groups have been protesting against Padmavati, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, alleging that the film distorts history.
Speaking on the deferment, Rajput Karni Sena’s chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi said that the film’s release has been deferred by a few days and that the protesting group ‘will wait and see.’
The Viacom18 statement said it had the highest regard for the law of the land and statutory bodies such as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
As a "responsible and law-abiding corporate citizen", it was committed to following the established procedure and convention, it said.
"We have faith that we will soon obtain the requisite clearances to release the film," the statement read.
The move comes just a day after Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had written to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, urging her to ensure that Padmavati is not released without necessary changes to the film.
Raje also said that the film certification board should consider all possible results before certifying the film, a day after the board sent the film back to its makers because the application for the certification was "incomplete".
Rajput Karni Sena, the organisation which has been leading the protests, warned “a lot will burn, stop us if you can,” if the film releases.
(This is a developing story. More details awaited.)
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