Jaipur: Two Rajasthan-based professors today
said they have been invited by the Central Board of Film
Certification to be part of a panel to review Sanjay Leela
Bhansali's troubled film "Padmavati".
The two academics are R S Khangarot, principal of the
Agrawal College here, and B L Gupta, a retired Rajasthan
University professor.
Khangarot said he received a call from censor board chief
Prasoon Joshi to view the film, which is awaiting a censor
certificate.
"I got a call from (Prasoon) Joshi recently. He sought
my opinion on the film as a part of a panel of historians. I
told him that I can be available for the review next week," he
told PTI over phone from Dubai.
Khangarot said it was a verbal invitation and he has
received no written communication.
"For me, this is not an issue between Bhansali and the
Rajput community or between Bhansali and Karni Sena. I see it
as an issue between the filmmaker and history and I will be
reviewing the film in this light," he said.
Gupta said he would be able to give his opinion on the
period drama after watching the movie and would judge it on
the basis of historical facts.
"I can say anything on the film only after watching it.
Whether the historic facts are true or not can be assessed
only after screening it.
"My endeavour will be on judging the historic facts to
the best of my knowledge," he said.
Bhansali, who appeared before a parliamentary panel, has
said his lavishly mounted Rs 150 crore period drama, featuring
Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is based on
the 16th century epic poem "Padmavat" by Malik Muhammad
Jayasi.
The film, on the life of Rajput queen Padmini, has run
into trouble with Rajput groups alleging that it distorts
history, a claim repeatedly denied by the director.
Historians are divided on whether Padmini actually
existed.
As protests spread across various states, the film's
December 1 release was deferred as it didn't have censor
clearance.
PTI
