Padmavati Controversy: Gujarat bans Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati

NEW DELHI: Gujarat’s CM, Vijay Rupani on Wednesday announced that Gujarat has banned Sanjay Leela Bhansali flick in the state. The CM has said that he won't be allowing the release of Padmavati due to security reasons.

Gujarat govt @vijayrupanibjp decision -will not allow to release #padmavati film in the state. pic.twitter.com/O2g9Bgb7bG

— Vikas Bhadauria ABP (@vikasbha) November 22, 2017

He tweeted -

The Government of Gujarat will not allow #Padmavati - a movie hurting sentiments of Rajputs - to get released in the State. We can’t allow our history to be distorted. We believe in freedom of speech & expression but any foul play with our great culture is not tolerated.

— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) November 22, 2017

This comes after the makers of 'Padmavati' voluntarily postponed the release date of the film. The film was earlier dated to release on December 1. It is to be noted that there are about 5% Rajputs in Gujarat. Reportedly, the movie 'Padmavati' is based on a poem about a Rajput queen, Rani Padmini, written by the 16th century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi. Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh had also joined the chorus of protests against 'Padmavati' with Shivraj Singh Chouhan warning the film will not be screened in his state if it distorts history and Capt. Amarinder Singh saying cinematic license does not give anyone the right to twist historical facts. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had accused Sanjay Leela Bhansali of being "habitual of playing with public sentiments". The Uttar Pradesh government has said it would not allow the movie's release till certain "controversial portions" are removed. Bhansali, who has been under attack over his depiction of Rajput queen Padmavati, has maintained that there is nothing objectionable and that he has been careful in portraying the valour and sacrifice of the queen. Earlier, there was a controversy over the title of Bhansali's move 'Ram Leela' which was subsequently changed to "Goliyon ki rasleela: Ram-Leela".