'Padmavati' was a Queen, not a dancer says Gajendra Chauhan

Mumbai: In the wake of the ongoing controversy over the upcoming movie Padmavati, actor and filmmaker Gajendra Chauhan has said that Rani Padmavati was a queen and not a dancer, like Sanjay Leela Bhansali has tried to show her in the film. Retorting to threats that have been issued to the makers, Chauhan said that the team is not calling it a fictional movie, so it means that they are going with what has been written in the history and showing 'Padmavai' as a dancer is not appropriate. "The makers have not said the movie is based on fiction. They are making the movie with a historical point of view. People have objections even on the part that have been shown. They have shown Padmavati as a dancer, but she was not a dancer, she was a queen. Kings and Queens never stand up and dance in the courtyard," Chauhan told news agency ANI. He also noted that such moments makes everyone feel that if the makers have shown such moments, what the whole movie would be. But, he also said that it is impossible to pass judgements without seeing the movie. Yesterday, reacting to the physical threats that have been issued to the makers, Madhur Bhandarkar said violence of any kind was condemnable, adding the CBFC should watch the movie and decide if the movie had anything objectionable. Shri Rajput Karni Sena threatened actor Deepika Padukone with physical harm if she incited public sentiments.
Deepika Padukone in 'Padmavati'/Image- YouTube Bhandarkar told ANI, "We absolutely condemn such act, any kind of violence in the theatre. I feel the film should be passed by the censor board, as it is a constitutional body and it has people from different walks of life, who have the knowledge of exactly what is there in the movie." The period drama, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, has been facing protests from various groups, including Shri Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly tampering with historical facts.