Declaring that it has "accepted" filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's offer, caste group Shri Rajput Karni Sena today said it is willing to watch his film 'Padmaavat', ahead of its release scheduled later this week on January 25.
Shortly after Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi said he would not allow Bhansali's 'Padmaavat' to be released "at any cost", he said that he is willing to watch the film along with other members of his group.
"We have received a letter saying that we want you to watch the film. Bhansali may be expecting that we will refuse, but we are accepting his offer. We are ready to watch," Kalvi said.
Kalvi said his Karni Sena will decide who watches the film in order to approve it for an all-India release. "We will decide who will watch. The censor board made three people watch the film and left six people. We want that those six people should watch this film along with a few journalists," Kalvi said.
But he must listen to them too. That's all we want," said the chief of the caste group, which has been on a rampage for the past few weeks to oppose the Deepika Padukone-starrer, based on a medieval epic poem.
But he must listen to them too. That's all we want," said the chief of the caste group, which has been on a rampage for the past few weeks to oppose the Deepika Padukone-starrer, based on a medieval epic poem.
Reports said the Padmaavat production team had sent a missive to Shree Rajput Karni Sena and Shree Rajput Sabha Bhawan. But the leaders of the two groups had alleged that the move was only a ploy "aimed at fooling".
"This is nothing but drama by the filmmaker. There is no date of the proposed screening the film and they have called our objection as misguided grievances which shows their approach and intention," Lokendra Singh Kalvi had told reporters on Saturday.
Last week, the Supreme Court had paved the way for the all-India release of 'Padmaavat' on January 25, by staying bans imposed by some BJP-ruled states and restraining other states from issuing similar notifications.
However, citing law and order issues if the film is released, the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments today moved the Supreme Court, asking it to modify its order allowing the release of 'Padmaavat'. Their pleas will be heard on Tuesday.
But that did not prevent the Karni Sena from continuing its protest against the film.
In Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, members of the Karni Sena today blocked some roads to oppose the release. In Rajasthan's Jodhpur, the Karni Sena today met theatre owners seeking their cooperation against the screening of 'Padmaavat' in single screens and multiplexes.
Last evening, members of the Karni Sena and other Rajput organisations protesting the release of Bhansali's film had damaged the Delhi-Noida (DND) flyover toll plaza counters and set ablaze a barrier there.
