Posted:
Written by Ananya Bhattacharya
New Delhi, November 30, 2017
Padmavati director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) chief Prasoon Joshi have been summoned by a parliamentary panel to present their views on the ongoing controversy over the film.
The filmmaker and the censor board chief have been asked to share their points of view on the Padmavati row amid several state governments announcing a ban on the film.
BJP's Anurag Thakur wrote in a tweet, "Today at 3pm the Parliamentary IT Committee will be examining the subject 'Film Industry:Problems & Challenges'. Details available on #LokSabha website. (sic)"
The panel includes actor-politicians Paresh Rawal of BJP, and Raj Babbar of Congress.
Prasoon Joshi has reached the meeting, say sources.
Ahead of the meeting, Anurag Thakur told India Today Television, "We have summoned Sanjay Leela Bhansali to ask him about his film Padmavati."
"We want Mr Bhansali to depose on what led to this kind of controversy. We are going to ask many questions because this is not only about entertainment, but about the social fabric too. But I am not going to discuss the contents of the meeting in front of the camera," said Thakur.
He added, "We will definitely ask him why the film is selectively being shown to certain media houses, even when the certification is due. He also has to tell us why the film was not shown to the people who actually had objections to it."
The BJP MP also said, "There have been instances in the past where controversy has been created around films just to ensure extra publicity for them. We will discuss that too."
The chief ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have already declared a ban on Padmavati in their respective states. States like Bihar, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are waiting for a go-ahead from the censor board first.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, took the opposite route and announced that she would ensure a smooth release for Padmavati, if the team were to arrange for a premiere in Kolkata.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave East 2017, Mamata said, "If they cannot release it in any other state, we will give special arrangement for Padmavati. Bengal will be very happy and Bengal will be proud to do that."
On Tuesday, while striking down a PIL seeking a stay on the release of Padmavati, the Supreme Court pulled up the Centre for comments by people in 'responsible positions holding public offices'. The court questioned the Centre as to how people holding public offices could 'make statements on a movie that has not been cleared by the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification)'.
Padmavati has been embroiled in a bitter battle with several Hindu groups, with nationwide protests spearheaded by the Shri Rajput Karni Sena. The bone of contention is 'distortion of history'.
Rajput groups think that Bhansali has represented Rajput queen Padmavati in a 'derogatory manner', what with Deepika Padukone (who plays the eponymous character in the film) dancing the Ghoomar 'in front of men' and a dream sequence of a love scene between Padukone and Ranveer Singh (who plays Turkish invader Alauddin Khilji).
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the team of Padmavati, meanwhile, have clarified time and again that no dream sequence of the kind is part of the film.
The film was initially slated for a release on December 1 this year, but it has now been 'voluntarily deferred' by the producers. While the Padmavati fire rages on, the CBFC is yet to give a certificate to the controversial film.
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