Padmavati row doesn't seems to end anytime soon. After the release date of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film has been postponed, the makers and the stars are getting threats from many fringe outfits. A group has now targeted actress Deepika Padukone, announcing a reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone "burning her alive".
Members of the Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha (ABKM) burnt over a hundred effigies of Padukone, who plays legendary Rajput queen Padmavati in the movie, and Bhansali at Damodar Swarup park here and shouted slogans against them.They also took out a march to the collectorate office and submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate demanding a ban on the release of the movie.
ABKM's youth wing leader Bhuvneshwar Singh said, "Deepika should know how it feels like to be burnt alive. The actress will never know the sacrifice of the queen. We demand that office-bearers of the organisation be shown the movie before it is released."Asked about Bhuvneshwar Singh's threatening remarks, Superintendent of Police Rohit Singh Sahjawan said a report had been sought in this regard."We have sought a report from the policemen on duty. Thereafter, action will be taken," he said.
Meanwhile, Padukone and Bhansali's security has been beefed up by the Mumbai police. The film fraternity has come out in support of Bhansali and the team, with many leading artistes calling it an attack on creative freedom.
The controversy around the movie began early this year when Karni Sena protestors manhandled and misbehaved with the crew of Padmavati and damaged many equipments in Jaipur. Even director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was assaulted for ''distorting'' the historical facts.
(With PTI inputs)
