Two days ahead of the scheduled release of “Padmaavat”, a Maharashtra minister has appealed to people not to watch the controversial film, saying director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has tampered with the history to earn money.
The minister clarified that he was making the appeal in his personal capacity and that he didn’t support the violent protests against the proposed screening of the film.
“History cannot be played with for (the sake of) money. Commercial masala entertainers should not be (made) at the cost of 1000-year-old history,” Tourism Minister and BJP leader Jaykumar Rawal told reporters.
The minister has been opposing the release of the Bhansali magnum opus, saying the director has distorted the history to make the movie.
“If Sanjay Leela Bhansali wants to earn few crores of rupees, we are ready to fill his coffers,” he said.
Rawal clarified that his opposition was limited only to the movies like “Padmaavat”.
“There are many entertaining movies with social and nationalist messages being made of late. ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ is a patriotic film while ‘Toilet Ek Prem Katha’ has a social message. Both films are commercial masala entertainers,” he said.
The minister, however, said he didn’t support violence in the name of opposing the release of “Padmaavat”.
“Law will prevail if any attempt is made to create any law and order problem. As an individual, I am opposed to the movie and will not watch it. I appeal to people not to watch the film which is an attempt to malign the country’s history,” he said.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s order clearing the release of the film, Rawal said that people’s sentiments should have been taken into consideration.
