Haryana becomes fourth state to ban Padmaavat after CBFC clearance

Haryana becomes fourth state to ban Padmaavat after CBFC clearance. After Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, Haryana is the fourth state to ban Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat on Tuesday.

After Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, Haryana became the fourth Indian state to ban Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat on Tuesday citing “law and order situation in the state”. Before the Assembly polls in Gujarat in November last year, the state government had banned the film, which was earlier titled as Padmavati.

Based on 16th century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s epic poem Padmavat, the movie stars Deepika Padukone in the titular role while Ranveer Singh plays invader Alauddin Khilji. Shahid Kapoor essays the role of Maharawal Ratan Singh in the film.

News agency ANI quoted Haryana minister Anil Vij as saying, “The CM earlier said we will take a decision after censor board passes it. In this meeting, I said it should be banned in Haryana keeping in view the law and order situation. Cabinet supported this and we decided it will be banned in Haryana.”

Last week, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani banned the film in the state and said, “The Gujarat government’s earlier order banning screening of the film stays. There is no scope to release in the state unless any changes in the earlier order are made.”

Film Padmavati/Padmavat banned in Haryana

— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) January 16, 2018

The movie has been facing violent protests by the fringe group, Shri Rajput Karni Sena who blame the director and lead actors of insulting Rajputs and the community’s honour. The protesters have issued death threats against Bhansali and Deepika over allegations that the queen romances Muslim emperor Alauddin Khilji in the movie – a charge the filmmakers have denied. Historians are divided on whether the queen existed.

Originally titled Padmavati, the film's name was changed to Padmaavat as suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The CBFC recently cleared the film for release with U/A certificate and a set of five modifications.

On Monday, the makers of Padmaavat released a new poster with no faces, mentioning the changes in bold and reassuring everyone that the film “upholds the honour of the Rajput community.”

Padmavati, scheduled for a December 1 release, was postponed due to protests in several states for alleged misrepresentation of history and maligning the image of Queen Padmavati.

Slated to hit theatres on January 25, Padmaavat is set for a box office clash with Akshay Kumar’s PadMan.