With the controversy around Padmavati refusing to die down, actor Kamal Haasan has extended his support to Deepika Padukone who is facing death threats for essaying the titular role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama. In his tweet, he termed all forms of extremism ‘deplorable’ and urged to respect the actor’s actions ‘more than her body’.
Kamal wrote on his Twitter page:
I wantMs.Deepika’s head.. saved. Respect it more than her body.Even more her freedom. Do not deny her that.Many communities have apposed my films.Extremism in any debate is deplorable. Wake up cerebral India.Time to think. We’ve said enough. Listen Ma Bharat
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) November 20, 2017
Interestingly, Kamal also recently courted a major political controversy after he spoke about Hindu ‘extremism’ in his weekly column for a Tamil magazine.
Haasan’s comments came days after a Haryana BJP leader offered a bounty of Rs 10 crore to anyone who beheads Bhansali and Deepika. Haryana BJP chief media coordinator Suraj Pal Amu announced the bounty after a Meerut resident from the Kshatriya community announced a reward of Rs 5 crore for beheading the celebrities. He has been served a show-cause notice from his party.
#WATCH:Haryana BJP Chief Media Coordinator SP Amu says will quit BJP if needed,asks PM to exercise his powers to strike down film #Padmavati pic.twitter.com/h2x76mdAKb
— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2017
The release of Padmavati has been deferred amid protests by various Rajput groups and political leaders who have alleged that the film hurts Rajput pride. Some Hindu groups, mainly the Rajput Karni Sena, have been vigorously protesting against the movie’s release. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has already announced that he would not allow the film’s release in his state unless the objectionable scenes were removed. Chouhan’s Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh has also rallied behind the Rajput community in its protests against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s historical drama. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath and his Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje opposed the release of the film citing serious threat to law and order.
The Central Board of Film Certification had returned the application of the film citing “technical issues” after protests erupted over the magnum opus on the legendary queen of Chittor, with various Rajput groups and politicians accusing the director of “distorting historical facts.”
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