Bollywood furious as Padmavati postponed: Bhansali should take approval of those who want him beheaded?

Angry at the news of Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmavati’s release being postponed, filmmaker Hansal Mehta blamed the government and the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections. “The government’s stance is disappointing but not unexpected. After all what is a film compared to elections?” he tweeted.

“Sad that bullies have prevailed again. The government’s stance is disappointing but not unexpected. After all what is a film compared to elections? #SDurga #Nude and #Padmavati to begin with. Many more to come. I was told by many industry leaders that it was a wise strategy to delay #Padmavati. Truth is that people have resigned themselves to government inaction in the face of such blatant terror. The only advice given is to shut up, retreat and accept these attacks.So SLB should show the film to those who threaten to have him beheaded? And get their approval?,” he added.

Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film has been facing controversy over conjectures that it “distorts history” and “demeans” the queen. Even though the film’s cast and director have vehemently denied the claims, it did nothing to stop the protests.

Twinkle Khanna also posted a tweet questioning a threat issued by a Karni Sena leader:

In a statement, Viacom 18 spokesperson said, “Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the studio behind ‘Padmavati’ has voluntarily deferred the release date of the film from December 1st 2017. Along with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, amongst the most gifted film makers of his generation, Viacom18 Motion Pictures has created a beautiful cinematic masterpiece in ‘Padmavati’ that captures Rajput valor, dignity and tradition in all its glory. The film is an eloquent portrayal of a tale that will fill every Indian with pride and showcase our country’s story-telling prowess across the globe. We are a responsible, law-abiding corporate citizen and have the highest respect and regard for the law of the land and all our institutions and statutory bodies including the Central Board of Film Certification. We always have and are committed to continue following the established procedure and convention. We have faith that we will soon obtain the requisite clearances to release the film. We will announce the revised release date of the film in due course. We stand firm in our commitment to tell endearing tales that resonate with our audiences the world over as we have in the past with our other projects such as ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’, ‘Queen’, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and many more.’”

Mehta also regretted promoting IFFI and wrote, “I regret recording a video endorsing IFFI - it was done in good faith for the love of films and much before all this happened.”

Director Nikhil Advani and Anurag Basu also tweeted their responses: