Padmavati row: Sanjay Leela Bhansali given security, Karni Sena calls for Bharat Bandh

There seems to be no respite for Padmavati. On Wednesday, Shri Rajput Karni Sena called for a Bandh December 1 - the day Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film is scheduled to release. Meanwhile, the filmmaker has been provided with an extra security cover by the Maharashtra government in view of the growing threats around the film and the director. 

"We will hold rallies across the country, including Gurugram, Patna, Lucknow and Bhopal before the release date," Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder-patron of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, an organization of the Rajput community, told media persons in Jaipur. Kalvi claims that all communities, including Muslims, support the group. 

"We demand a complete ban on the film. Now, we don't want any pre-screening of the movie. All we want is a ban," an agency quoted him as saying. Kalvi also demanded PM Modi's intervention in the matter.

Ever since Bhansali started filming Padmavati, he has been facing severe criticism from the Rajput outfit. The filmmaker was attacked and his set was vandalized on two occasions. 

The outfit has stated that the film distorts Rajput history and has raised an objection on the alleged dream scene between Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmavati. The makers have repeatedly stated that the film does not have the alleged dream sequence and Bhansali has even come on record and stated that the film honours the spirit of Rajput women.