Padmavati

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmavati’ has now upset a descendant of the Mewar royal family. Daughter of Mahendra Singh Mewar, Baijiraj Trivikrama Kumari Jamwal is an English school teacher and has been quite otherwise, but now she too has spoken up against the entire messy situation that the movie has been embroiled in. She has tagged ‘Padmavati’ as an inauthentic venture. She said, “The sad part is that the film is getting free pre-release publicity, and that a commercial and inauthentic venture like this is using my family’s name. It’s not just a question of incorrect portrayal, which is established from the trailer and the ‘Ghoomar’ song itself, but also the fact that you’re using my family’s name for the commercial pre-release publicity of your film, free of cost… And the national media is talking about it. That’s my problem.”

Members of Rajput Karni Sena and Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha have been saying that the movie distorts history. So, she adds, “That’s why I am so upset. People have political and commercial agendas. There’s nothing wrong with commercial enterprises and politics, but misusing and exploiting somebody’s pride, honour and dignity for such shallow purposes, that is where I step in and say, ‘Sorry, not acceptable’.” Some political leaders and Jaipur’s former princess Diya Kumari have asked the makers to show the movie to some historians before it hits the theatres. On that, Trivikrama says, “It depends who the historians are because history is also coloured. It has to be a well-represented congress of historians. He (Bhansali) should approach the most authentic voice, which is the family itself. That he hasn’t done.” Her mother Maharani Nirupama Kumari added, “He has already made the film. What’s the point of showing it to historians now?” (Also Read: Padmavati Alert: Shri Rajput Sabha writes to PM for a nationwide ban on the film)

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She finally sums up by saying, “Apparently, it’s a self-confessed piece of fiction. I’m ready to accept that you (Bhansali) have made a piece of fiction. But then don’t drag my family’s name into it and claim you’re the custodian of my family’s history.”

Ohh God! We really don’t know as to how will the movie manage a smooth release on December 1. However, we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Inputs from IANS