Padmavati not to hit screens on Dec 1, Deepika Padukone starrer deferred after protests

Amidst the ongoing protest against the release of Padmavati, the makers have deferred the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directorial. The announcement was made by Viacom18 Motion Pictures who released an official statement about the same and stated that the decision has been taken voluntarily.

“Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the studio behind ‘Padmavati’, has voluntarily deferred the release date of the film from December 1st 2017,” said the statement.

The spokesman further stated that it had the highest regard for the law of the land and statutory bodies such as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

“Along with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, amongst the most gifted filmmakers of his generation, Viacom18 Motion Pictures has created a beautiful cinematic masterpiece in ‘Padmavati’ that captures Rajput valor, dignity and tradition in all its glory. The film is an eloquent portrayal of a tale that will fill every Indian with pride and showcase our country’s story-telling prowess across the globe. We are a responsible, law-abiding corporate citizen and have the highest respect and regard for the law of the land and all our institutions and statutory bodies including the Central Board of Film Certification. We always have and are committed to continue following the established procedure and convention. We have faith that we will soon obtain the requisite clearances to release the film. We will announce the revised release date of the film in due course. We stand firm in our commitment to tell endearing tales that resonate with our audiences the world over as we have in the past with our other projects such as ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’, ‘Queen’, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and many more,’” statement added.

Notably, Padmavati has been mired in controversies for a while now after it was alleged that the movie has distorted historical facts and demeaned the Rajput queen.

While the makers have denied all the accusations, Padmavati has been witnessing continuous protests over its release.

In fact, Censor Board chief Prasoon Joshi had sent the movie back to the producer as the application for the certification was incomplete. He had also slammed the film-makers for allowing the film to be screened for various media channels before obtaining a certificate from the board.

“Disappointing that the film Padmavati is being screened for the media and getting reviewed on national channels without CBFC having seen or certified the film. This compromises the role of systems and balances that are part of a functioning industry. It’s myopic to treat the certification process haphazardly to suit convenience,” Joshi was quoted as saying.

Interestingly, Padmavati, which stars Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, has been facing controversy since Bhansali started shooting the film earlier this year.

The director was roughed up by members of the fringe group Rajput Karni Sena in Jaipur. Its elaborate sets were also vandalised during shooting schedules in Jaipur and Kolhapur.

The first poster of the movie was released in October and triggered a storm with various Rajput groups and others claiming that the director had “distorted” historical facts.

Bhansali and lead actor Deepika Padukone have received threats. Their security has been beefed up by the Mumbai Police.

Meanwhile, the film fraternity has come out in support of Bhansali and the team, with many leading artistes calling it an attack on creative freedom.