Rishi Kapoor advises Bhansali to sue ‘Padmavati’ set destroyers

Kolkata, Jan 28 (IANS) Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor on Saturday lambasted the fringe group which vandalised the sets of "Padmavati" in Jaipur on Friday for allegedly "distorting history" about Chittor queen Rani Padmini and 14th century emperor Alauddin Khilji.

Bhansali was slapped and assaulted by Rajput Karni Sena workers who staged a protest at Jaigarh fort in Jaipur where he was shooting the film.

"Without knowing facts, without seeing the picture, you do a morcha and start hitting, what is this nonsense," an angry Kapoor told IANS on the sidelines of Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet here.

"Is this the security we have in this country for filmmakers or artistes? Who's answerable to this? Tomorrow you start doing this with everybody. It will be impossible to make films. Who are they? Are they the caretakers of history," Kapoor fumed.

The entire Bollywood community has come down heavily on the incident with the likes of director Karan Johar, actors Farhan Akhtar and Alia Bhatt taking to Twitter to vent their ire.

In a video that went viral on social media, protesters were seen running amok, damaging cameras and other shooting equipment while raising slogans and hurling abuses in Hindi.

"If you are, then see the film and then make a judgement. How can you raise your hand, how can you take law in your hands? Who are these people (Rajput) Karni Sena or whoever they are. What right do they have to do that? You cannot take justice in your hands."

"There is a judiciary, let them decide what is right and what is wrong. There is a censor board who censors it before it comes to the people," the actor added.

In the aftermath of this, Bhansali and his crew have cancelled the shooting. Kapoor advised the revered director who recently churned out the superhit film "Bajirao Mastani" to drag the perpetrators to court.

"I read on Twitter he has cancelled the shoot. Who's going to pay your b***** is going to pay for all the expenses... Just because of this nonsense, he had to cancel his actor's date. I say Sanjay Leela Bhansali should sue whatever that Karni (Sena workers)."