Nitish Kumar Says No to ‘Padmavati’ In Bihar

After Gujarat, MP, UP and Rajasthan, Nitish Kumar says Bihar will not release ‘Padmavati’.

Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji and Deepika Padukone as Padmavati in the movie Padmavati.

(Photo Courtesy: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures/Youtube)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has reportedly announced that he will not let Padmavati release in the state. Interestingly, Kumar's statement comes after the Supreme Court pulled up the Centre for comments by people in ‘responsible positions holding public offices’ on Padmavati.

I am not in favour of the movie’s release until its producer, director and all those who are associated with it offer a clarification putting the controversy to rest.

Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister

He did not specify what clarification he was looking for.

Previouslly, the Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh had said they wouldn't allow Padmavati to release in their states. From what we know, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has said that his government will not release Padmavati without an “amicable solution” for all parties involved.

According to a report by ANI, women from the Rajput community protested against the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film in Patna in the presence of the Rajput Karni Sena president Lokedndra Singh Kalvi on 17 November.

Earlier, the Supreme Court dismissed another plea by lawyer Manohar Lal Sharma, which requested for a restrain on the release of Padmavati abroad.

“When the matter is pending the consideration of the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification), how can persons holding public offices comment on whether CBFC should issue certificate or not? That will prejudice the decision of the CBFC?” the SC said.

Asked whether any instructions had been issued for a ban on the release of the movie in Bihar, Principal Secretary (Home) Amir Subhani told PTI earlier in the day that they had received no such information.

As the chief minister spoke his mind on the controversial film, BJP MLA Neeraj Kumar Singh reached the Bihar Assembly premises with photographs of Bhansali and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan garlanded with shoes and slippers pasted on his vehicle.

Khan had said recently that Muslims never objected to Mughal-e-Azam though Anarkali was wrongly shown as Prince Salim's beloved because the community was "large hearted".

Singh told reporters that he was a Rajput and could not tolerate any insult to Rajput sentiment.

I would have no objections if they had changed the name of the character. Filmmakers can portray a fictitious character in whatever manner they wish. But they cannot be allowed to portray historical figures in a distorted manner.

BJP MLA Neeraj Kumar

Singh also displayed a copy of a letter he wrote to Nitish Kumar, asking for a ban on the release of the film in the state.

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