Padmavati row: SLB film may release only in 2018, producers take call

Mumbai: Deferring the release date of Padmavati, was not a decision taken by filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It was actually the producers of the epic period drama who informed Bhansali that they had decided to postpone the release date ‘for a more suitable Friday in the next couple of months’.

“Ok,” said Bhansali and disconnected the phone. For him, the battle to get into theatres on schedule, and thereby not succumbing to fringe bullying, had just ended. “No explanation was given, none demanded by Bhansali. Now, he has left the matter in the hands of his very capable producers — Viacom 18 Motion Pictures,” says a source.

Notably, Viacom’s sudden announcement on Sunday, postponing the December 1 release further, has taken the entire team aback. But what prompted Viacom to take this hasty decision?

Apparently, the complete failure of attempts to pacify the protesters even after Bhansali recorded a video vowing there was nothing even remotely slanderous in his film, had begun to worry Viacom.

“The concern was not just restricted to the Indian bosses at Viacom. It went all the way to the headquarters in the US,” says the source.

It is also believed that the command to defer the release came from the headquarters as all attempts to assuage suspicion about the big-budget film’s content failed. “The final straw was the ‘special’ screening of Padmavati for two television journalists, Arnab Goswami and Rajat Shama. On Friday, Shobha Sant, the CEO of Bhansali Production, flew to Delhi to screen Padmavati for them. What was meant to be a move to influence public opinion in favour of the film has turned out to be a futile PR exercise. The protesters wouldn’t buy Arnab’s braggadocio. His taunting ‘I’ve-seen-THE-FILM-you-haven’t’ approach has simply backfired. Worse of all, the CBFC chairperson, Prasoon Joshi, turned away in face of the controversy, berating the Padmavati team for jumping the gun and showing the film to key media persons before showing it to the CBFC.” Joshi probably expected Bhansali to approach him directly but that did not happen.

In their defence, a source close to the Padmavati producers says that the CBFC is not to blame for the delay. “Prasoon Joshi is clearly under pressure. It was very clear to Viacom 18 that they would not be allowed to release the film before the Gujarat elections. Rather than waiting for one more week and letting the publicity costs escalate, Viacom, ordered by the high command, decided to pull the plug on the release without further delay.”

And, the fresh release date will not be announced in a hurry. “We are in no hurry to announce the new date, we will do so only after gauging the situation,” says a Viacom source.

Padmavati row: Celebs explode

With Padmavati’s release being postponed and the goons having a free run, people from the industry are deeply disturbed.

‘A mockery of democracy’
This is the height of goondaism… If the Government of India allows this to go further, CBFC should shut shop and allow every fringe fanatic religious group or community to decide the fate of a film. Utter nonsense! We have made a mockery out of our democracy!
— Khushboo

‘A failure of the state’
It’s ridiculous that the conversation is about anything other than freedom of expression. If your sentiments are hurt, don’t buy a ticket. We seem to have become a nation that is so fragile that anything said will, in all probability, deeply offend someone or the other. It is a failure of the state when people believe they can hold anything to ransom and get away with it. I’m glad the guy who offered '5 crore to behead Deepika and SLB has been arrested. It’s the first positive thing in this case. Also, isn’t there anything more important for the media to focus on? Don’t give these idiots any coverage and they will wilt away.
— Raja Krishna Menon

‘CBFC is redundant’
Having a CBFC is sheer hypocrisy when the government has set itself up as censor.
— Naseeruddin Shah

‘Tolerance is needed’
I am eagerly waiting to watch a film made by a competent filmmaker. One has to see the film first and then argue and debate. This much tolerance is needed in a democratic country.
— Gautam Ghose

‘Not a civilised democracy’
I feel very disturbed as an artiste that our country has come to this — censorship on art when the country has many more pressing issues to address. All those people who have problems with the film Padmavati need not see it... But death threats going unpunished? A mute government is not what a civilised democracy stands for!.
— Onir

‘Politicising art means killing it’
The Padmavati episode is really tragic. Freedom of speech and expression is key to a good democracy. It doesn’t matter what history says or what the facts are. Film content has to be respected and accepted by the authorities as well as the public. If a particular segment or community is hurt by it, then it’s high time they accept what others have to say. Politicising the art form means killing it.
— Anees Bazmi