Makers of Padmavati have said the film will not release globally, including in the UAE and the UK, until the it gets clearance in India.
The news comes even as reports circulated that the British Board Of Film Classification (BBFC) has given the clearance to release the Sanjay Leela Bhansali period drama in the UK on its original date, December 1.
The BBFC, which is the official body responsible for the national classification and censorship of films showcased in cinemas in the UK, announced Padmavati’s release date on its official website and social media platform, with a runtime of 164 minutes.
However, the makers confirmed to Gulf News tabloid! that the film will not release in any market in the world until it obtains clearance from India’s Central Board of Film Certification.
Starring Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, the film has been at the centre of a storm in India, with right-wing groups demanding a ban on the film’s release for distorting historical facts. Padukone and Bhansali have also been on the receiving end of death threats.
The film also stars Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji and Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh.
Padmavati is being distributed internationally by Paramount Pictures.
In the latest development blocking the film’s release in India, at least eight organisations under the banner of Akhil Bhartiya Shakti Samaj launched a signature campaign to have some controversial scenes censored.
“We want the scenes showing distorted version of history to be deleted before the film is released,” said a member of the group.
The protesters said they plan to submit a deputation to West Bengal Governor K.N. Tripathi reiterating their demands.
“We also plan to submit a deputation to the chief minister [Mamata Banerjee] in this regard,” the member said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani also declared that the his government would not allow release of Padmavati in the poll-bound state.
Rupani also said that the ban was not only limited to the state assembly polls, which will be held in December “but till the controversies subside”.
Earlier, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had held that the film had “distorted facts” about Rajput queen Padmavati and would not be allowed to be released in his state, even if it gets censor board certification.
His Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath had held the movie director responsible for hurting sentiments of Rajput community, while Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje government had sought edits in the film to remove objectionable sequences.
— With inputs from IANS
