Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial 'Padmaavat' hit the cinema halls on Thursday amid strong protests against the film by fringe groups.
The protests intensified across several states, with members of several fringe outfits taking out rallies, blocking roads and damaging vehicles on Wednesday.
The Rajput Karni Sena gave a call for a 'janta curfew' on January 25 - the day of the film's release - to prevent people from watching 'Padmaavat'. The group's chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi said a 'janta curfew' on cinema halls would mean that the public will stop the film from being exhibited.
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.
Here are the live updates:
#6:27 PM: He (Suraj Pal Amu) has been taken under preventive custody. He will be produced or action will be taken accordingly: Kuldeep Singh, DCP East Gurugram
#5:18 PM: Suraj Pal Amu taken into preventive detention by Haryana Police
#3:17 PM: Kshatriya community will contribute & give the person a reward of Rs 1 Crore who chops off Deepika Padukone's ears and nose: Gajendra Singh, President Kshatriya Mahasabha
# 2:10 PM: All the vehicles are being checked and every person is being frisked. All the shows were houseful yesterday. It was peaceful yesterday and so will be today. We are prepared for all situation
All the vehicles are being checked and every person is being frisked. All the shows were houseful yesterday. It was peaceful yesterday and so will be today. We are prepared for all situation. Arrests will be made if need be: Pradeep Rai, SP (City) Dehradun #Padmaavat pic.twitter.com/ec1Zzj9IOP
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 01:08 PM: Uttarakhand: Clash between Police & Bajrang Dal workers outside a cinema hall in Rishikesh
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 12:38 PM: Man tries to self immolate outside a cinema hall in Varanasi, detained by Police.
# 12:33 PM: Karni Sena members protest at Lucknow's Novelty cinema, present roses to people and appeal to them to not watch the film. A protester says 'we will also compensate money of the tickets in case people have already bought'.
# 12:25 PM: This is nothing but 'pakoda' politics practiced by BJP. Prime Minister & his party have meekly surrendered before these people who are protesting. He has 56 inch chest only for Muslims,says Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM
#12:19 PM: 18 people arrested in connection with the attack on a school bus in Gurugram on Wednesday, will be brought to Sohna Court later on Thursday.
# 12:09 PM: It is a worrying incident,and I am sure there will be a solution to this whole issue today. Hume aisi ghatna ka andesha nahi tha: Ram Bilas Sharma,Haryana Minister on school bus attacked by vandals in Gurugram
# 11:53 AM: Shops vandalized in Udaipur during protest in Rajasthan
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 11:39 AM: Protesters brandish swords, burn tires in protest against #Padmaavat in Muzaffarpur
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 11:38 AM: #WATCH Karni Sena members take out bike rally in protest against Padmaavat in Jaipur
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 11:22 AM: A petition has been mentioned in the Delhi High Court for quashing of certificate granted to film ‘Padmaavat’, reports PTI. The High Court has asked petitioner Jauhar Smriti Sansthan to move the Supreme Court as it permitted release of the film.
# 11:14 AM: Delhi High Court refuses to entertain plea against Padmaavat .High Court asked petitioner to approach Supreme court.
# 11:13 AM: Contempt petition filed against four states in Supreme Court, petitioner claimed that the four states had failed in their duty to maintain law and order
# 11:04 AM: Contempt petition filed in the Supreme Court against three members of Karni Sena for violating SC order
# 10:39 AM: It opens old wounds, and that is why such films should not be made. what is the historical value of it? Zero. They say it has nothing to do with history, then why are you making it? Also, why is Rahul Gandhi not taking a stand on it?: Subramanian Swamy,BJP
# 10:22 AM: Security increased outside cinema halls in Ahmedabad
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 10:18 AM: Heavy security outside Chittor Fort
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 10:07 AM: Films which hurt sentiments of any religion or caste should not be made: Digvijaya Singh
# 09:57 AM: Security outside cinema halls in Hyderabad
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 09:50 AM: Theater in Rajouri Garden witnesses good turn-out on first day, first show of #Padmaavat; movie-goers say, 'want to see the reason behind all that uproar'
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 09:44 AM: Ambience mall Gurgaon has canceled movie screening of Padmaavat.
# 09:37 AM: Security has been beefed up at the venue of the India-Asean summit given the unabated threats by the Karni Sena over the release of Padmaavat today. Strict security measures are also in place outside the hotels where Asean leaders, who have been invited by PM Narendra Modi for Republic Day, are staying. Section 144 was anyway imposed at the venue and hotel for R-Day.
# 09:36 AM: No banners or hoardings advertising #Padmaavat are visible at Carnival Cinemas, Noida. The theatre is screening at least 10 shows on the first day of its release.
— Leela Prasad (@theblcksheep) January 25, 2018
# 09:24 AM: Visuals of security personnel outside cinema halls in Agra.
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 25, 2018
# 09:16 AM: Protesters set fire to a car during a protest against #Padmavaat in Bhopal on Wednesday, Police say 2 people have been taken into custody.
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 09:09 AM: Visuals from Mumbai's Sion, security outside PVR cinemas.
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 08:53 AM: Alia Bhatt took to Twitter to praise the cast and director of Padmaavat. The actor looked rather impressed by her Gully Boy co-star Ranveer Singh and Deepika's graceful act as Rani Padmavati. She even thanked Sanjay Leela Bhansali for his magical venture that left her speechless
# 08:38 AM: Its peaceful.Current show housefull. Police presence is here, our own security is also in place. All good as of now: Kishore Ganatra, E-Square cinema hall owner in Pune
# 08:13 AM: As of now its peaceful here but it is indeed disturbing that in Gurugram some schools are shut as preemptive measures due to protests. Failure of administration: Parent
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 08:03 AM: There is panic, if school bus can be attacked in Gurugram then can happen in Delhi also, even here there are cinema halls near schools, so have come to drop my child to school myself: Lalit, Parent.
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
# 07:53 AM:
Whatever is happening is unfortunate, but now even I cannot stop the fire raging in our hearts from expressing itself out on to the streets. Do not fan the fire in our hearts. The fire from Jauhar will burn everything. We stopped Padmavati and now we will stop Padmaavat too. The nation will burn, do not commit this sin: Karni Sena Chief
# 07:52 AM:
Udaipur ADM SC Sharma has issued an order stating that students in both Govt and private schools should not perform on the 'ghoomar' song during Republic Day celebrations.
# 07:45 AM:
Padmaavat to release on Thursday amidst high security in theaters
#WATCH: Protesters torched bus and pelted stones in protest against #Padmaavat at Gurugrams' Sohna Road. #Haryana pic.twitter.com/B13t6l8XuI
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018