SC Paves Way for Bhansali’s ‘Padmaavat’, Karni Sena Still Defiant

The apex court stayed notifications and orders issued by Rajasthan and Gujarat prohibiting exhibition of the film.

The producers, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, had approached the top court challenging the notification and orders issued by four states.

(Photo Courtesy: Youtube screengrab)

Bollywood celebrities say their faith in the Indian judiciary has been restored after the Supreme Court on Thursday, 18 January, allowed the country-wide release of controversial movie Padmaavat on 25 January.

The apex court stayed notifications and orders issued by Rajasthan and Gujarat prohibiting exhibition of the period drama in their states.

The producers, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, had approached the top court challenging the notification and orders issued by four states – Gujarat Rajasthan, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh – prohibiting exhibition of the film.

Despite the Supreme Court’s order, Karni Sena remains defiant.

We won’t allow the screening of any intimate scenes between Ran Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji. May be he has reworked on the movie. The Censor Board showed the movie to three of our people. And all three of them outrightly refused to give consent. I will appeal to all the social organisation that they should oppose the release of the movie. The public should curfew cinema halls. 

Lokhendra Singh Kalvi, Chief, Karni Sena

The producers submitted that the movie has undergone changes including in its title as suggested by the CBFC.

Asserting that the film has been cleared by the CBFC, the plea has said that the states cannot impose a blanket ban on a film and its screening can be suspended in a particular area or areas on account of law and order problem, not across the states.

The governments of Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan had declared that they will not allow screening of the movie which stars Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in lead roles, despite censor clearance.

The film is based on the saga of the historic battle of 13th century between Maharaja Ratan Singh and his army of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.

The set of the movie was vandalised twice – in Jaipur and Kolhapur – while its director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was roughed up by members of the Karni Sena last year.

The question that lingers is – will there be a peaceful release for Padmaavat?

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj