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The Supreme Court on 23 January will hear a plea by the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments seeking to block the release of controversial film Padmaavat. [caption id=“attachment_4223299” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]
Deepika Padukone in a still from Padmaavat[/caption] According to News18 TV reports_,_ the plea by the two BJP-ruled states will be heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud. The two state governments have moved the apex court taking the support of the Cinematograph Act where movie screening can be stopped on grounds of law and order in the state. Senior counsel Harish Salve, who had appeared for the film producers, was present to oppose an urgent hearing on any such interim applications seeking modification or clarification of the court’s 18 January order that stayed notification/orders of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana government banning the release of the film in the three states. The court, by the said order, had directed that no state government would issue order that might come in the way of the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed Padmaavat on 25 January. Along with Bhansali, the film is co-produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures. The Shree Rajput Karni Sena, a group opposing film, said it was ready to watch the Bollywood period drama as offered by Bhansali productions to end the deadlock on the issue. The film, slated to be released on 25 January, has been been facing protests by Karni Sena and other fringe groups over allegations that historical facts were distorted in the flick. “We are ready to watch the film. We never said that we will not watch the film. The filmmaker had assured us one year ago that he will go for a special screening and now he has written for the screening and we are ready for that,” Sena leader Lokendra Singh Kalvi, who was in Uttar Pradesh, told PTI over the phone. Bhansali production had on 20 January written a letter to Shree Rajput Karni Sena and Rajput Sabha, Jaipur, inviting them to watch the film and assured that the film showcased the honour and valour of the Rajput community. Despite clearance from the Censor Board and a name change from Padmavati to Padmaavat, activists from Karni Sena and other fringe groups activists continued to stage protests in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. With inputs from PTI.
Padmaavat controversy LIVE: SC rejects plea by Rajasthan, MP govts; Deepika Padukone visits Siddivinayak
Supreme Court dismisses ban on Padmaavat, says ‘all states must follow our orders’
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SC dismisses plea by Rajasthan and MP govt, on ban of Padmaavat
PTI
The Supreme Court today refused to modify its earlier order which had cleared the decks for the nationwide release of ‘Padmaavat’, saying people must understand that orders of the top court have to be “abided with”.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said this while rejecting pleas filed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh seeking modification in its January 18 order. The Supreme Court had paved the way for the nationwide release of ‘Padmaavat’ on January 25 by staying the ban on the screening in states of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
“People must understand that the Supreme Court has passed an order. They must abide by it. It is the obligation of the states to maintain law and order,” the bench also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said. “We are not inclined to modify our order,” the bench said while dismissing the plea. It asked the states to follow its order and gave them the liberty to approach it again “if the situation arises”.
The bench also dismissed the applications filed by Shree Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, which has been staging protest in several states against the release of the movie, and Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha, seeking to stall the exhibition of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie. The apex court had earlier restrained other states from issuing any ban orders on the Deepika Padukone-starrer movie.
Maintaining that states were under constitutional obligation to maintain law and order, the top court had said this duty also included providing police protection to persons involved in the film, its exhibition and the audience.
The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in lead roles, is based on the saga of a historic 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh and his army of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.
Activists of Loktantar Suraksha Manch raise slogans against Padmaavat in Haryana’s Rohtak
Movie goers made to undergo heavy security check in Haryana’s Sirsa
Hindu Yuva Vahini on dharna in UP
There is also heavy police deployment in Gorakhpur.
Padmaavat makers reach out to Karni Sena
Security still seems to be the latest concern for cinema owners
Amid all the controversies, Deepika Padukone visits Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai
Meanwhile, villagers from Jayasi’s birthplace (the poet who wrote the original Padmaavat) want a share in this publicity.
Hardik Patel says “we respect SC but won’t allow Padmaavat in Gujarat”
Karni Sena said to the SC: History and historical characters have been distorted.
SC: We are not historians, the CBFC has cleared the film.
We will explore options to again approach SC: Rampal Singh, MP Law Minister
Madhya Pradesh law minister says they will try to take everyone’s view into consideration
UP govt says there’s no need to for objectifications now
Supreme Court says their order is final
Meanwhile protests continue in Rajasthan
SC says state govts are displaying inefficiency in following orders
“Don’t watch the film if you don’t want to, but there can’t be a ban on screening”
Supreme court says “our order must be followed by one and all”
“All courts must follow our orders” says Supreme court on dismissal of ban on Padmaavat
Sonu Sood speaks about being a part of a historical film & Padmaavat controversy
Actor Sonu Sood, who played the character of Rajkumar Sujamal in Ashutosh Gowariker-directed Jodhaa Akbar, said chances of a historical drama facing protests are always high, but that should not stop artistes from doing their jobs.
“In todays times when we try to make historical films we have to make sure that all the references are right. But, even after that one can face opposition like we have seen in the case of Padmaavat,” he said.
The actor, who will now be seen playing a warrior in Manikarnika.., said working in a period drama is “a great high for any actor”.
“We might find ourselves in a situation where people are opposing it but ultimately periodical films are the ones which need to be made in todays times,” he added.
_PTI_
Ketan Mehta talks about the Padmaavat controversy
The film industry is in no mood to compromise on its “creative freedom” and fascination towards history, even as the controversy around Padmaavat is far from over.
The Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film, which was originally titled Padmavati, got mired in controversy as soon as the filmmaker started shooting for the project and things took an ugly turn after the first trailer of the movie was released last year.
The unending protests, however, have not affected Bollywood, with celebs such as Ketan Mehta, Sidharth Malhotra and R Madhavan still vouching for period dramas.
“History is a treasure house of stories. We cannot preclude history from creative endeavours. I would like to make a historical film even today,” Mehta told PTI.
The director, who helmed Aamir Khan-starrer 2005 historical biographical drama Mangal Pandey: The Rising and 1993 biographical drama Sardar on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, said considering the wrath Bhansali and his team faced, he will be cautious while making any historical film in future.
“There would be various opinions on any subject. There is no question of censoring yourself even before you start creating something,” he added.
Mehta believes people have become oversensitive today and they need to “liberate their mind” as freedom of expression is a fundamental right.
“People have a right to see a film, just like they have a right to vote. There is a censor board that looks into the matter of clearing films and its sanctity should be retained,” he said.
PTI
Goons vandalise cinema halls in Gurugram
Section 144 imposed in parts of Noida ahead of Padmaavat releases