But again I repeat, what is happening to Sanjay Bhansali’s film is no ordinary protest. “One doesn’t think of these things while making a film. Would Benegal hesitate in directing Padmavati today? “Why are they not being arrested even when they openly issue threats against the director and his actors? The law enforcers know what exactly and who they are. “We’ve these strange men with their aggressive demeanour going on national television to issue open threats. On a more serious note, Benegal wonders why the government is silent over these unlawful protests. Chanakya's betrayal of Virochak, killing of Dhanananda, Suvasini's acceptance of Buddhism, Rakshasa's futile attempt of revolt, establishment of Mauryan Empire, Chanakya's return to Taxila and Chandragupta's decision to become Jaina monk. What TRPs that would amass, don’t you think?” said the veteran filmmaker.
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“…My advice to them is, they must carry out their threats in front of live TV cameras. The Khilji in Bharat Ek Khoj dressed in vibrant royal garb looks like he bathes every day unlike Ranveer’s Khilji, a leader whose face is speckled with grime throughout the film. “We shot the episode exactly the way it was described in Jayasi’s poem down to the mass jauhar at the end…Now when Sanjay makes a film based on the same poem we have women with swords coming in front of the media threatening to commit jauhar to stop the film…,” Benegal said. His sister Bela Sehgal and his brother-in-law Deepal Sehgal were also involved with the episode as editors. “Bhansali was an assistant director in my Padmavati episode of Bharat Ek Khoj. But I presume this is exactly what transpires in it.”īhansali was part of the Padmavati episode of Benegal’s Bharat Ek Khoj. “In the end Rani Padmavati commits ‘Jauhar’ along with hundreds of followers. We shot the story exactly the way Jayasi described it in his poem.
“The poem describes the mad infatuation of Khilji for the Chittoor queen. He talks of love as something that can be desired, never fulfilled. Interestingly, Benegal’s vision of what transpired between Rani Padmini and Khilji was also based on the poem Padmaavat by Malik Mohammed Jayasi.Įxplains Benegal, “Jayasi’s beautiful 15th century poem is based on the idea of unattainable love.
Why are no arrests being made when even school children are being targeted?” Benegal said. “This is nothing but an attempt to appease the Rajput vote bank. “I see a deep-rooted political conspiracy in what is happening to Sanjay Bhansali’s film.” “The protests have nothing to do with the content of the film.
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“I’ve filmed the same saga way back in 1988 for my series Bharat Ek Khoj on Doordarshan.