Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adtiyanath is non-committal on the release of the controversial film ‘Padmaavat’ in the state. The Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie is set for release on January 25.
“I am not a future teller,” was his cryptic reply when mediapersons asked him yesterday as to whether the movie would be screened in Uttar Pradesh. During an earlier visit here 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 is any action, “it will be against both the sides”. Lashing out at the film-maker, he had said that Bhansali was “habitual at playing with public sentiments”.
The state government has 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 title change suggested by the Censor Board as “Padmaavat”.
The chief minister had said, “No one has the right to take the law into own hands whether it is Sanjay Leela Bhansali or anyone else. I feel that if those threatening (the actors of the film) are guilty, Bhansali is no less guilty.”
He had also said that if there is any action, “It will be against both the sides.” On threats being issued to eliminate actors, Adityanath had said, “Everyone should respect the feelings of each other. And I feel that if everyone has good thoughts and intentions, there would be amity in society.”
Gujarat has become the third state after Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan – all ruled by the BJP – to block the controversial Bollywood movie. Starring Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji, the film was mired into controversy after Rajput Karni Sena raised objections over the content of the film.
