Padmavati issue: Deepika Padukone’s parents get police protection

Police personnel have been posted outside the home of Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone’s parents in Bengaluru following threats over her role in the Hindi film Padmavati, the police said on Tuesday.

“Two police personnel have been deployed outside Deepika Padukone’s parents home in J.C. Nagar,” Inspector Girish Naik of J.C. Nagar Police Station said.

Although a resident of Mumbai, Padukone is originally from Bengaluru, where her family, including her father, legendary badminton player Prakash Padukone, mother Ujjala, younger sister Anisha and grandmother Ahilya live.

Prakash Padukone runs a badminton coaching academy in the city.

Earlier, Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kunwar Surajpal Singh Ammu offered a reward of Rs100 million (Dh5.6 million) to anyone who would behead Padukone and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Detractors of Padmavati, which is based on the life of 13th century Rajput queen Padmini, also known as Padmavati, say the movie distorts history.

“We do not want to take law in our hands but will not forgive anyone who tries to spoil the image of Rajput kings and queens,” said Ammu, who is also the chief media coordinator for the party in the state.

Reacting to Ammu’s statements, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said the state government would provide security to her and her family in Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah has also asked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to take action against those making threatens.

“I have asked the Haryana Chief Minister to take strict action against those threatening to harm Deepika, as she only played the lead role in the film as an actress as directed by its maker,” Siddaramaiah said. “I condemn the culture of intolerance and hate perpetuated by the BJP and its right-wing groups. Karnataka stands by Deepika who is a renowned artist from our state.”

State Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters at Belagavi, that the state police would provide security to Padukone whenever she is in Bengaluru or anywhere in Karnataka.