'Janta curfew' in cinema halls of Uttar Pradesh if 'Padmaavat' is screened: Karni Sena

LUCKNOW: Ahead of the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmaavat' on January 25, leaders of the Shree Rajput Karni Sena met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today and demanded a ban on the film in the state.

"I met the UP chief minister today and demanded a ban on the film 'Padmaavat'," Karni Sena patron Lokendra Singh Kalvi told reporters after his 20-minute meeting with Adityanath here.

People will impose "janta curfew" in cinema halls in Uttar Pradesh if the movie is screened, he said.

Kalvi, who listed nearly 40 different objections with regard to the movie, demanded that films on the lives of Maharana Pratap, Shivaji and other eminent personalities be made.

"We urge the prime minister to ban the film and we are hopeful that he will meet our request. We hope that the Centre will act. We ask the public as to whether it is on the side of Padmavati or Alauddin Khilji. Whether it is on the side of Ram or Ravan?" he posed.

Kalvi's aide Himanshu, who too is a senior office-bearer of the outfit, told reporters, "We have only expressed our concerns before the chief minister today. All we want to say is that you are underestimating the simmering public anger against the film. In the last one-and-a-half years, we have forewarned Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the Centre and state governments in this regard." Asked to comment on the outcome of the meeting with Adityanath, he said, "Yogi Adityanath is bound by the Supreme Court directive (restraining states from banning the screening of the movie), but in-principle and emotionally, he is with us." Kalvi too spoke in the same vein.

Meanwhile, a large number of people waving saffron flags protested the scheduled release of 'Padmaavat' in front of SRS Cinema Hall in Gorakhpur and also burnt the effigy of its director Sanjay Leela Bhansali as they chanted 'Jai Sri Ram'.

The protesters also submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate.

"The movie 'Padmaavat' is hurting the feelings of Hindus and we are against its release. We will keep on protesting against the movie and demand a ban on its release," a protester said.

The film has been been facing protests by the Karni Sena and other fringe groups over allegations that historical facts were distorted in the flick.

Chief Minister Adityanath was earlier non-committal on the release of the controversial film 'Padmaavat' in the state, when he had said in Gorakhpur that he was not a "future teller".

"I am not a future teller," was his cryptic reply when mediapersons asked him last week as to whether the movie would be screened in Uttar Pradesh.

During an earlier visit to Gorakhpur, his home turf, in November last year, Adityanath had said that Bhansali was no less guilty than those issuing threats to actors and others involved with the film, and asserted that if there was any action, "it will be against both the sides".

Lashing out at the film-maker, he had said that Bhansali was "habitual of playing with public sentiments".

The state government had said it would not allow the movie's release till certain "controversial portions" are removed.

The movie, which was earlier titled "Padmavati", will now be released worldwide on January 25 with the new title suggested by the censor board.

Starring Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji, the film was slated for release on December 1 last year but was postponed as the makers had not got a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), or the censor board, till then.

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

The Supreme Court had earlier paved the way for the all- India release of "Padmaavat" on January 25 and stayed notifications and orders issued by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat -- all ruled by the BJP -- prohibiting exhibition of the film in their states.

The apex court had also restrained other states from issuing any such notification or orders banning the screening of the movie.