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Latest imagesWashington Post: Indian ruling-party member offers bounty for beheading of Bollywood’s biggest female star
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Washington Post: Indian ruling-party member offers bounty for beheading of Bollywood’s biggest female star
by Guest Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:10 pm
The release of a highly anticipated Bollywood blockbuster has been delayed after a politician from India's governing party offered a bounty of $1.5 million for the heads of the movie's star and director amid outcry that the film distorted Hindu legend.
The movie “Padmavati” — depicting the life of legendary 14th-century queen Padmini — sparked the latest in a string of flash points from right-wing groups that perceive more clout under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has courted Hindu nationalists as part of his political base.
Often Hindu outrage is stoked by little more than rumors, including deadly riots and vigilante violence over false claims that Muslims were killing cows sacred to Hindu culture. But this time with the film, the reason for the outrage is even more puzzling.
Members of the Rajput Karni Sena, a group associated with the warrior Rajput caste, claim it misrepresents history by depicting a love affair between the queen and a Muslim invader. The group is further upset that the queen's midriff is exposed in a song sequence. They have called for a nationwide strike and backed the death threats against star Deepika Padukone and the film's director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali....
The news agency ANI reported that Surajpal Amu, a state-level media coordinator of the BJP, told a rally Sunday: “We will reward the ones beheading [Padukone and Bhansali] with Rs 10 crore, and also take care of their family’s needs.” A crore signifies 10 million rupees.
Amu repeated the statement to the Indian Express. Video from the rally also showed Amu saying, “There's no need to discuss making cuts to the film. We won't allow it to play in theaters at all.”
“It’s absolutely appalling. What have we gotten ourselves into? And where have we reached as a nation?” said the actress Padukone, who plays the leading role of Queen Padmavati and who recently appeared in “XXX: Return of Xander Cage” alongside Vin Diesel.
“We have regressed,” she added. “The only people we are answerable to is the censor board, and I know and I believe that nothing can stop the release of this film.”
A member of the Rajput Karni Sena group, Mahipal Singh Makrana, responded in a self-made video, saying, “Rajputs never raise a hand on women, but if need be, we will do to Deepika what Lakshman did to Surpanakha,” referring to a Hindu epic in which a man cuts off a woman's nose. The group has also vandalized cinemas, burned posters and threatened to break the legs of actor Ranveer Singh, who plays villainous Muslim invader Alauddin Khilji.
The violent reaction to the film's release further suggests a groundswell of conservatism in Modi's India. Bollywood films in the 2000s were known for breaking taboos, as they increasingly began to show on-screen kissing, live-in relationships between unmarried couples and interreligious romances, most famously in the 2008 historical drama "Jodhaa Akbar."
Some members of Modi's party have made efforts to minimize Muslims' role Indian culture and history. Recently, members of the governing party misleadingly said that the Taj Mahal was built on the site of an old Hindu temple and that it “did not represent Indian culture.” The Taj Mahal was built by the Muslim Mughal king Shah Jahan.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/11/20/indian-ruling-party-member-offers-bounty-for-the-beheading-of-bollywoods-biggest-female-stars/
The movie “Padmavati” — depicting the life of legendary 14th-century queen Padmini — sparked the latest in a string of flash points from right-wing groups that perceive more clout under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has courted Hindu nationalists as part of his political base.
Often Hindu outrage is stoked by little more than rumors, including deadly riots and vigilante violence over false claims that Muslims were killing cows sacred to Hindu culture. But this time with the film, the reason for the outrage is even more puzzling.
Members of the Rajput Karni Sena, a group associated with the warrior Rajput caste, claim it misrepresents history by depicting a love affair between the queen and a Muslim invader. The group is further upset that the queen's midriff is exposed in a song sequence. They have called for a nationwide strike and backed the death threats against star Deepika Padukone and the film's director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali....
The news agency ANI reported that Surajpal Amu, a state-level media coordinator of the BJP, told a rally Sunday: “We will reward the ones beheading [Padukone and Bhansali] with Rs 10 crore, and also take care of their family’s needs.” A crore signifies 10 million rupees.
Amu repeated the statement to the Indian Express. Video from the rally also showed Amu saying, “There's no need to discuss making cuts to the film. We won't allow it to play in theaters at all.”
“It’s absolutely appalling. What have we gotten ourselves into? And where have we reached as a nation?” said the actress Padukone, who plays the leading role of Queen Padmavati and who recently appeared in “XXX: Return of Xander Cage” alongside Vin Diesel.
“We have regressed,” she added. “The only people we are answerable to is the censor board, and I know and I believe that nothing can stop the release of this film.”
A member of the Rajput Karni Sena group, Mahipal Singh Makrana, responded in a self-made video, saying, “Rajputs never raise a hand on women, but if need be, we will do to Deepika what Lakshman did to Surpanakha,” referring to a Hindu epic in which a man cuts off a woman's nose. The group has also vandalized cinemas, burned posters and threatened to break the legs of actor Ranveer Singh, who plays villainous Muslim invader Alauddin Khilji.
The violent reaction to the film's release further suggests a groundswell of conservatism in Modi's India. Bollywood films in the 2000s were known for breaking taboos, as they increasingly began to show on-screen kissing, live-in relationships between unmarried couples and interreligious romances, most famously in the 2008 historical drama "Jodhaa Akbar."
Some members of Modi's party have made efforts to minimize Muslims' role Indian culture and history. Recently, members of the governing party misleadingly said that the Taj Mahal was built on the site of an old Hindu temple and that it “did not represent Indian culture.” The Taj Mahal was built by the Muslim Mughal king Shah Jahan.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/11/20/indian-ruling-party-member-offers-bounty-for-the-beheading-of-bollywoods-biggest-female-stars/
Guest- Guest
Re: Washington Post: Indian ruling-party member offers bounty for beheading of Bollywood’s biggest female star
by Guest Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:20 pm
HYDERABAD: BJP lawmaker T Raja Singh Lodh today asked Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to follow his counterparts in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and not allow the screening of film Padmavati in the state.
Lodh, who represents the Goshamahal constituency in the city, reiterated his threat of setting afire theatres that screen the controversial movie on the legendary Rajput queen.
The makers of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed period drama have deferred its December 1 release, apparently due to opposition the film is facing.
In a letter to Mr Rao, the MLA said the chief ministers of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have given statements that the film would not be allowed to be screened (in their states) if historical facts were "distorted".
"Similarly, I request the Telangana Chief Minister to give such a statement. In order to maintain law and order in the state, the Telangana CM should see to it that the movie is banned," he said.
Accusing Mr Bhansali of "distorting" history in making the film, Lodh said, "We have been saying from the beginning that maharani Padmavati is the queen of entire Hindu society and it is my responsibility to stop the movie's release till certain controversial portions are removed".
He said they would stop the screening of the film in the state "under any circumstances" if its contents were not changed and "will burn the theatres that show the movie".
https://www.ndtv.com/telangana-news/will-burn-theatres-if-padmavati-shown-in-telangana-bjp-lawmaker-1778359
Lodh, who represents the Goshamahal constituency in the city, reiterated his threat of setting afire theatres that screen the controversial movie on the legendary Rajput queen.
The makers of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed period drama have deferred its December 1 release, apparently due to opposition the film is facing.
In a letter to Mr Rao, the MLA said the chief ministers of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have given statements that the film would not be allowed to be screened (in their states) if historical facts were "distorted".
"Similarly, I request the Telangana Chief Minister to give such a statement. In order to maintain law and order in the state, the Telangana CM should see to it that the movie is banned," he said.
Accusing Mr Bhansali of "distorting" history in making the film, Lodh said, "We have been saying from the beginning that maharani Padmavati is the queen of entire Hindu society and it is my responsibility to stop the movie's release till certain controversial portions are removed".
He said they would stop the screening of the film in the state "under any circumstances" if its contents were not changed and "will burn the theatres that show the movie".
https://www.ndtv.com/telangana-news/will-burn-theatres-if-padmavati-shown-in-telangana-bjp-lawmaker-1778359
Guest- Guest
Re: Washington Post: Indian ruling-party member offers bounty for beheading of Bollywood’s biggest female star
by Guest Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:29 pm
https://twitter.com/aajtak/status/932289102170296320
Guest- Guest
Re: Washington Post: Indian ruling-party member offers bounty for beheading of Bollywood’s biggest female star
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