I see a lot of people confusing "historical fiction" with pure "fiction".
A history book is meant to be a truthful account. Names, places, dates, events are as accurate as feasible. A lot of time and effort is spent to research and document the content
A fictional book is meant to be an imagined account. Names, places, dates, events are created by the author. There is not much time and effort spent in research.
Historical fiction is a hybrid of history and fiction. The author takes a blend of one or more real names, places, dates, events and weaves an imaginary fictitious tale around it. Historical fiction may sometimes complement or supplement history, but historical fiction is never ever a replacement for history. As such it should never be seen as a source of truth.
Sometimes it is well researched factual and accurate like "Devil in the White City" which even though fictional is a highly accurate account of serial killer HH Holmes.
Sometimes it is a fictional story in a historical setting like "Gone with the Wind" which is a love story set in times of civil war, the characters are pure fiction but events around them are very real.
Sometimes it is a fictional story about historical people like "Girl with the Pearl Earring" is a fictional story about real people, the characters actually existed, but there is no way to verify the narrative.
Sometimes it is delves into impossible and absurdity like "Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter" which is stunningly accurate in its characters, places, dates, and events - but makes the Confederates vampires.
Padmavati the book itself is a work of historical fiction. Allaudin Khilji laid seige on Chittor in 1303. History became legend, legend became myth. Padmavat was published in 1540 based on the mythical accounts of jauhar. All historians agree there is no basis for truth in it. Rani Padmavati is plausible but not 100% a real person. Secondly, the movie is a filmmakers interpretation of an already interpreted piece of historical fiction.
To ask fiction to conform to a reality - that too a nonexistent reality is absurd.
Sensational South
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