Cut off her nose

The interesting thing about Bollywood film Padmavati is that no one has seen it yet. It is due to be released on December 1 and that release date also seems to be elusive given the controversy surrounding the film.  And yet, a whole country is up in arms protesting the movie.  For some extremist groups, it seems their honour as well as the honour of the Rajput caste has been ridiculed. Ironically, there was a time when such actions took place only on this side of the border. Now we have to suffer from the other side too.

The movie Padmavati recounts the tale of Rani Padmavati, a Mewar queen who appears in the 16th century epic poem by Malik Muhammad Jayasi. Over centuries of the poem’s retelling, it has taken on historical significance, although there is little evidence the events involving Padmavati actually occurred. In other words, this could be fiction to begin with. But that is beside the point.

The story sees a Sultan lay siege to the Chittor Fort in pursuit of the queen. Her husband is killed and she herself commits self-immolation rather than be captured. The film is based on Bhansali’s operatic rendition of the poem which played in Paris and Rome.

But the movie has stirred up a hornet’s nest. Extremist and fringe groups have claimed the movie includes a dream sequence in which the Muslim sultan romances the Hindu queen. While director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has repeatedly denied such a scene exists, this has not stopped the furor surrounding the film. And the threats to all those who have played a role in the movie.

Some allege that the film is based on offensive sexual content while others claim historical inaccuracies. This despite not seeing the film in the first place. Having said that, either of the two crimes that have been committed are not really crimes for which the director and the actors should be put to death. Sadly, this is where things seem to be heading to.

For Pakistanis, who have seen extremist groups attack works of art, vandalise and threaten anything that they do not agree with, all what is happening with Padmavati is not new.  It is just sad that India is going the same way as how we saw our country slipping over the past three decades. Now the extremists call the shots.

In this case, a senior official from India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced INR100 million in head money for film-maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Deepika Padukone. Suraj Pal Amu also threatened Ranveer Singh, who plays the villain in the historical drama that he will break his legs for working in it. “If you (Ranveer Singh) do not take back your words, we will break your legs,” he said, along with other threats and slurs.

Members of another Hindu group stormed the film set in January and assaulted Bhansali and others. Bhansali agreed to delete offending scenes from the film following the attack. A spokesman for the same group said they would “cut the nose” of Deepika Padukone after the actor said protests would not stop the film’s release.

Padukone, who has starred in such blockbusters as Chennai Express and Bajirao Mastani, has received death threats including a bounty being placed on her head which this week was endorsed, and increased, by a member of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party.  They want both her head and her nose, it seems.

Rajput groups and royals belonging to the traditional warrior caste have also complained about Padukone dancing and baring her midriff in the film’s trailer. Another group has threatened to burn down any British cinema that screens the film.

Adding to the ongoing situation, news reports said that a body was found hanging at a fort in Jaipur, not far from where the film shot earlier this year. The body had been identified as that of a local man, while police had not determined if it was a suicide or murder. Next to the body was a note scratched into a rock, “We don’t burn effigies, we hang,” with the word Padmavati etched below.

The protest against  Padmavati have now reached a dangerous level. All this is very scary. In the past we have seen Bollywood produce remarkable movies which have played regardless of what some fringe element thinks.  Sadly this now seems to be a thing of the past.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2017.

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