Film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was roughed up by members of a Rajput outfit at Jaipur's historic Jaigarh Fort on Friday. The mob comprising Karni Sena members alleged that Rajasthan's history was being distorted in 'Padmavati', the movie Bhansali was filming.

Scores of protesters breached private security arrangements and stormed the fort at 12.30pm, raising slogans against Bhansali and the film. They then attempted to stop the shoot by vandalising the set. While the film crew and the producer's private guards tried to stop the protesters, a person in the mob pulled Bhansali by the hair and slapped him. Bhansali's guards soon formed a ring around him in order to escort him out of the chaos. The crew dialled the police helpline and the Amber police reached the spot, an official at Amber police station said.

“The movie depicts love scenes between Rani Padmini of Chittor and Alauddin Khilji. This is an outrageous distortion of Rajasthan's history as Raniji immolated herself along with the other women of the fort when they heard that Khilji was marching ahead to take over the fort,“ Karni Sena state president Mahipal Makrana said, adding that “jauhar (self-immolation)“ by the queen of Chittor was an act of bravery that was “well-established“ in the state's history books. “We will not allow anyone to peddle lies and cheat with the honour and dignity of idols at any cost (sic),“ he added.

The protesters broke equipment on the set. They alleged the guards had fired in the air to disperse them. Senior police officials went to the spot to pacify the protesters. Police set up a meeting between Bhansali and the Karni Sena after the incident. “Bhansali said the Sena's allegations were unfounded as the movie did not depict any such scene between the two. We asked Bhansali if he would like to file an FIR, but he refused,“ said a senior official.

Police have arrested five protesters.
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MID-DAY (January 28, 2017)

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali was assaulted by a rampaging mob on the set of his next film, 'Padmavati', in Jaipur yesterday. The unit was shooting for a dream sequence when activists of a local group, Rajput Karni Sena, marched into the set at Jaigarh Fort and accusing Bhansali of distorting historical facts in the costume drama, slapped him and pulled his hair. They also damaged equipment.

Deepika Padukone essays the title role while Ranveer Singh plays Mughal ruler Alauddin Khilji. Shahid Kapoor will be seen as Deepika's reel husband, Raja Rawal Ratan Singh.

The activists claimed that the movie shows Rani Padmavati in poor light. This particular group had staged protests against Ashutosh Gowariker's 'Jodhaa Akbar' (2008) claiming that Jodhaa was married to Akbar's son and not Akbar.

Trouble had erupted on 'Padmavati' set last September when the Patel Navnirman Sena warned Bhansali to stop shoot in Mumbai, fearing damage to the feisty queen's image.

Despite repeated attempts, Bhansali and his team remained unavailable for comment.