Bajirao Mastani to carry a disclaimer to appease descendents

Sanjay Leela Bhansali hopes to appease them with a disclaimer.

On Friday, the descendants of Bajirao Peshwa and Mastani Baisaheb held a joint press conference in Mumbai to put forward their objections to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming periodromance, Bajirao Mastani.

"Cinematically, it may be beautiful, but if both Bajirao and Mastani's families are objecting to certain things then Bhansali should hear us out. But he refuses to meet us, hasn't replied to any of our letters or returned our calls. There should be a screening for both the families before the release and everything that is wrong with the film should be corrected," Udaysinh Peshwa, the patriarch of the Peshwa family and a descendent of Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa told Mirror.

The objections have been forwarded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Culture Mahesh Sharma, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and CBFC Chairperson, Pahlaj Nihalani demanding the government reviews the film, studies the alteration of historical facts in the depiction of the Peshwa and his wives and takes a decision on the release.

"We cannot accept the way the protagonists have been portrayed in the songs. It's embarrassing and will bring a bad name to the community. The "Malhari" song has Bajirao dancing to poorly worded lyrics. We want the song cut out," Udaysinh demanded.

They have also objected to "Pinga"arguing that "it is impossible for ranis to dance like this". They pointed out that Bajirao's love for Kashi didn't lessen after he married Mastani and he was no superman to jump on an elephant's trunk to cut a man's throat as seen in the trailer. Bajirao pouring water on Kashibai too is a "very private" moment.

The Peshwa descendants had visited the sets earlier and had no issues then. Now, Awais Bahadur Nawab Sahab, descendant of Mastani Baisaheb, doesn't think Ranveer Singh resembles Bajirao or a commander who fought for the freedom of the Marathas.

"Bhansali cannot tarnish someone's image to make money," he said, while Shrimant Sardar Satyasheelraje Dabhade, descendant of Sarsenapati Umabaisaheb Khanderao Dabhade, commander-in-chief of the Maratha regime during Bajirao's reign, states that the Dabhade family and Mastani's descendents strongly object to two dialogues - "Bajirao ne Mastani se mohabbat ki hai" and "Aapne humse jaan mangi hoti to de dete, par aapne to humse humara guroor cheen liya."

Mirror has been told that Bhansali Productions will be carrying a disclaimer at the beginning of the film stating that "all characters appearing in this work are fictitious, any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental".