Want ban on ‘Padmavati’, says Karni Sena

Jaipur, Nov 19 (IANS) The Shri Rajput Karni Sena on Sunday that it wanted a ban on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmavati" and claimed underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's money was invested in the film.

"We have heard the movie's release date (December 1) has been postponed. We will be on the streets as soon as a new release date is announced. All we want is a complete ban on the film," Sena's patron-founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi told IANS.

"We will not allow the release of Padmavati at any cost," he added.

The release of Bhansali's historical drama was "voluntarily" deferred, a spokesperson for the film's producer and distributor Viacom18 Motion Pictures said earlier on Sunday.

"His (Bhansali's) team had on January 30 had assured us in writing that he will pre-screen the trailer and the movie and take the Rajput organisations into confidence before releasing it. But he did not did do so," Kalvi said.

The Karni Sena leader claimed that Dawood's money was invested in the movie.

"I got three threat calls from international numbers -- one from Karachi, which indicates Dawood's money is involved... What is the interest of a man sitting in Karachi in bumping me off?"

In January, activists of the Karni Sena had protested, manhandled and misbehaved with the crew of 'Padmavati' in Jaipur, claiming that Bhansali was "distorting" historical facts in the movie.

They had also damaged some cameras and other equipment. Bhansali had to stop shooting.

"We will not allow distorted facts to be shown in the film at any cost and will see to it that the film is not released," Kalvi said.

In March, some miscreants broke the mirrors at the Padmini Mahal in Chittorgarh Fort where Alauddin Khilji is alleged to have seen Rani Padmavati or Padmini. The Karni Sena claims that the mirror story was invented years later.