''Padmaavat'' is a 2018 Indian
period
Period may refer to:
Common uses
* Era, a length or span of time
* Full stop (or period), a punctuation mark
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Period (music), a concept in musical composition
* Periodic sentence (or rhetorical period), a concept ...
romantic action drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-gen ...
directed by
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali (; born 24 February 1963) is an Indian filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and music composer who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards, ten Filmfar ...
. Based on the
epic poem
An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants.
...
of the same name by
Malik Muhammad Jayasi
Malik Muhammad Jayasi (1477– 1542) was an Indian Sufi poet and pir. He wrote in the Awadhi language, and in the Persian Nastaʿlīq script. His best known work is the epic poem '' Padmavat'' (1540).
Biography
Much of the information abo ...
, it stars
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone ( or ; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in India, and her accolades include three Filmfare Awards. She features in listings of the nation's most pop ...
as
Rani Padmavati, a
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
queen known for her beauty, wife of
Maharawal Ratan Singh, played by
Shahid Kapoor
Shahid Kapoor (; born 25 February 1981) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. Initially recognised for portraying romantic roles, he has since taken on parts in action films and thrillers, and is the recipient of several awards, inc ...
.
Sultan Alauddin Khilji, played by
Ranveer Singh
Ranveer Singh Bhavnani (; born 6 July 1985) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. The recipient of several awards, including five Filmfare Awards, he is among the highest-paid Indian actors and has been featured in '' Forbes India''s ...
, hears of her beauty and attacks her kingdom to enslave her.
Aditi Rao Hydari
Aditi Rao Hydari is an Indian actress who works mainly in Hindi and Tamil film industry. She made her film debut with the Malayalam film '' Prajapathi'' in 2006. She went on to have major to minor supporting roles in several Hindi films, includ ...
,
Jim Sarbh
Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian film and stage actor. Best known for his supporting work in the Hindi films, he is the recipient of a Screen Award, an International Indian Film Academy Award and two Filmfare Award nominations. Addi ...
,
Raza Murad
Raza Murad (born 23 November 1950) is an Indian actor who appears primarily in Hindi films.
He has over 250 Bollywood film credits. Murad has also appeared in Bhojpuri and other regional-language films and on Hindi television.
Early life
He i ...
, and
Anupriya Goenka
Anupria Goenka (born 29 May 1987) is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She first shot to fame in 2013 as the face of UPA government's ''Bharat Nirman''. Goenka made her on-screen debut with the 2013 Telugu film ...
featured in supporting roles.
With a production budget of – , ''Padmaavat'' is one of the
most expensive Indian films ever made.
Initially scheduled for release on 1 December 2017, ''Padmaavat'' faced numerous controversies. Amid violent protests, its release was indefinitely delayed. In December, the
Central Board of Film Certification
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory film-certification body in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India. It is tasked with "regulating the public exhibition of films under the provision ...
approved the film with few changes, which includes the addition of multiple disclaimers and a change from its original title ''Padmavati''.
''Padmaavat'' was rescheduled for release on 25 January 2018 in 2D, 3D and
IMAX 3D formats, making it the first Indian film to be released in IMAX 3D.
Upon release, ''Padmaavat'' received mixed-to-positive reviews. Critics praised the visuals, cinematography and Singh's portrayal of evil Khilji, but criticized its storyline, execution, length and adherence to regressive patriarchal mores.
Critics also disliked the portrayal of Khilji as a stereotypical evil Muslim king and Ratan Singh as the righteous Hindu king which led to protests by religious communities.
Despite not being released in some states of India, it grossed over at the box office, becoming a commercial success and the
12th highest-grossing Indian film of all time.
At the
64th Filmfare Awards
The 64th Filmfare Awards ceremony, presented by The Times Group, honored the best Indian Hindi-language films of 2018. The ceremony was held on 23 March 2019 in Mumbai.
''Padmaavat'' led the ceremony with 18 nominations, followed by ''Raazi'' ...
, ''Padmaavat'' received a leading 18 nominations, including
Best Film
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
,
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to:
Film awards
* AACTA Award for Best Direction
* Academy Award for Best Director
* BA ...
(both for Bhansali),
Best Actress
Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress awar ...
(Padukone) and
Best Actor (Singh), and won 4 awards, including
Best Actor (Critics) (Singh). It also won 3
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...
, including
Best Music Direction for Bhansali.
Plot
In 13th-century
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
,
Khalji
The Khalji or Khilji (Pashto: ; Persian: ) dynasty was a Turco-Afghan dynasty which ruled the Delhi sultanate, covering large parts of the Indian subcontinent for nearly three decades between 1290 and 1320.[Jalal-ud-din Khalji
Jalal-ud-din Khalji, also known as Firuz-Al-Din Khalji or Jalaluddin Khilji (c. 1220 – 19 July 1296, ) ( fa, جلالالدین خلجی) was the founder and first Sultan of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1290 to 132 ...]
plans to take over the
throne of Delhi. His evil nephew
Alauddin Khalji
Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over lar ...
asks for Jalaluddin's daughter
Mehrunisa's hand in marriage. Their wedding is organised, but on the night of the event, Alauddin engages in
adultery
Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...
with another woman. A senior courtier witnesses the act, Shareef Pasha, and is promptly killed by Alauddin. Mehrunisa is informed of this during the wedding, leaving her horrified. The wedding occurs, and Alauddin is appointed as a lead general in Jalalauddin's army.
In Singhal (modern-day
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
), princess
Padmavati
Padmāvatī may refer to:
Deities
* Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of fortune
* Alamelu, or Padmāvatī, a Hindu goddess and consort of Sri Venkateshwara of Tirupati
* Manasa, a Hindu serpent goddess
* Padmavati (Jainism), a Jain attendant goddess ( ...
accidentally wounds Rajput ruler of
Mewar
Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and Man ...
Maharawal Ratan Singh while hunting in a forest. As she treats him, he reveals that he has traveled to
Sinhala to acquire rare pearls for his only wife
Nagmati
Nagmati was, according to legend, the first wife and chief queen of King Ratan Sen (identified with Ratnasimha), the Rajput ruler of Medapata (present-day Mewar). Nagmati plays an important role in Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem ''Padmavat''. ...
. Eventually, the two bond and fall in love. Ratan Singh asks for Padmavati's hand in marriage, she agrees, and with permission from her father, they are married.
Jalaluddin takes over the throne of Delhi and sends Alauddin to repel a
Mongol invasion
The Mongol invasions and conquests took place during the 13th and 14th centuries, creating history's largest contiguous empire: the Mongol Empire ( 1206- 1368), which by 1300 covered large parts of Eurasia. Historians regard the Mongol devastati ...
. Alauddin is successful in doing so, but undertakes an unsanctioned
raid on Devagiri. He captures the princess there, and makes her his
concubine
Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive.
Concubi ...
. Jalaluddin's wife and nephew, Itaat Khan, warn him against Alauddin's ambition to take over the throne. However, he journeys to
Kara
Kara or KARA may refer to:
Geography Localities
* Kara, Chad, a sub-prefecture
* Kára, Hungary, a village
* Kara, Uttar Pradesh, India, a township
* Kara, Iran, a village in Lorestan Province
* Kara, Republic of Dagestan, a rural locality in Da ...
to meet Alauddin and gifts him the slave
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promi ...
. Alauddin has Jalalauddin's ministers assassinated by
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promi ...
, and Jalalauddin is killed by one of Alauddin's generals. Alauddin then returned to Delhi and declared himself the new
Sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
. Over time, Alauddin and Kafur become very close, and Kafur rises to become a general in Alauddin's army.
Padmavati journeys to
Mewar
Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and Man ...
with Ratan Singh and is blessed by his royal priest, Raghav Chetan. Chetan later intrudes into the palace secretly and spies upon an intimate moment between Ratan and Padmavati, and is subsequently banished. He then travels to
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
and informs Alauddin of Padmavati's beauty. Alauddin, who is fixated with having anything that is exceptional, invites the Rajputs to Delhi, but his invitation is rejected. Enraged, he lays siege to Ratan Singh's capital
Chittor
Chittorgarh (also Chittor or Chittaurgarh) is a major city in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgarh District. It was a major stronghol ...
. After six months of an unsuccessful siege, Alauddin feigns peace on account of
Holi
Holi (), also known as the Festival of Colours, the Festival of Spring, and the Festival of Love,The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...". is an ancient Hindu religious festival ...
and is allowed to enter Chittor, where he meets Ratan Singh. He asks to see Padmavati; Ratan Singh grants this request, but only momentarily while preventing Alauddin from seeing her face. Ratan Singh is tricked by Khilji and is taken to Delhi as a prisoner.
Upon Queen Nagmati's insistence, Padmavati agrees to see Alauddin under some conditions: she will meet Ratan first, there would be no male guardians during their meet and Chetan will be executed for his earlier treachery. Alauddin agrees; Padmavati then travels to Delhi to meet him. Meanwhile, Alauddin survives an assassination plot by his nephew, though he is wounded. When his nephew visits him recovering in bed to gloat of his victory, Alauddin awakens and kills him. The Rajputs, disguised in women's dress, plan to ambush the Khilji soldiers in the morning, at the time for morning ''
namāz''. Padmavati, along with Chittor's generals, Gora and Badal, frees Ratan Singh, and escapes with Mehrunisa's help. Ratan confronts Alauddin, who urges Ratan to take this opportunity to kill him in his weakened state. However, Ratan refuses as this is against the Rajput creed of not attacking the wounded. The Rajput ambush goes ahead as planned, but the Khilji soldiers are alerted to it and repulse the attack, killing the Rajputs who allow the King and Queen to escape.
Alauddin imprisons Mehrunisa for helping the Rajputs and marches to Chittor. He and Ratan Singh engage in a single duel; Alauddin is wounded and drops his sword, Ratan is about to kill him when Kafur takes the opportunity to mortally wound Ratan while his back is turned with arrows. While dying, he berates Alauddin and his forces for fighting dishonorably. The much larger Khilji army defeats the scattered Rajputs and captures Chittor, but are unable to capture the Rajput women who perform ''
jauhar
Jauhar, sometimes spelled Jowhar or Juhar, was a Hindu practice of mass self-immolation by women, in the Indian subcontinent, to avoid capture, enslavement and rape by an invading army, when facing certain defeat during a war. Some reports of ...
'' (mass suicide by immolation) along with Padmavati, rendering Alauddin's quest a failure and leaving him furious.
Cast
*
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone ( or ; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in India, and her accolades include three Filmfare Awards. She features in listings of the nation's most pop ...
as
Padmavati
Padmāvatī may refer to:
Deities
* Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of fortune
* Alamelu, or Padmāvatī, a Hindu goddess and consort of Sri Venkateshwara of Tirupati
* Manasa, a Hindu serpent goddess
* Padmavati (Jainism), a Jain attendant goddess ( ...
– a 13th–14th century legendary Rajput queen, who was, according to ''Padmaavat'', the wife of Rajput king Ratan Singh (also known as Ratan Sen), the ruler of
Mewar
Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and Man ...
. The news of Padmavati's beauty reached Sultan Alauddin Khilji, who besieged Singh's capital, Chittor, motivated by his desire to capture the queen.
*
Shahid Kapoor
Shahid Kapoor (; born 25 February 1981) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. Initially recognised for portraying romantic roles, he has since taken on parts in action films and thrillers, and is the recipient of several awards, inc ...
as
Ratan Singh – the last Rajput ruler of the
Guhila dynasty
The Guhilas of Medapata colloquially known as Guhilas of Mewar were a Rajput dynasty that ruled the Medapata (modern Mewar) region in present-day Rajasthan state of India. The Guhila kings initially ruled as Gurjara-Pratihara feudatories be ...
that ruled the kingdom of Mewar. He was defeated by Alauddin Khilji's forces during the siege of Chittor.
*
Ranveer Singh
Ranveer Singh Bhavnani (; born 6 July 1985) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. The recipient of several awards, including five Filmfare Awards, he is among the highest-paid Indian actors and has been featured in '' Forbes India''s ...
as
Alauddin Khalji
Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over lar ...
– the second and most powerful ruler of the
Khalji dynasty
The Khalji or Khilji (Pashto: ; Persian: ) dynasty was a Turco-Afghan dynasty which ruled the Delhi sultanate, covering large parts of the Indian subcontinent for nearly three decades between 1290 and 1320.[Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526).] .
He ascended the throne by murdering his paternal uncle and father-in-law, Sultan
Jalal-ud-din Khalji
Jalal-ud-din Khalji, also known as Firuz-Al-Din Khalji or Jalaluddin Khilji (c. 1220 – 19 July 1296, ) ( fa, جلالالدین خلجی) was the founder and first Sultan of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1290 to 132 ...
. According to ''Padmaavat'', Khilji laid siege to Chittor motivated by his desire to capture Ratan Singh's beautiful wife, Padmavati.
*
Aditi Rao Hydari
Aditi Rao Hydari is an Indian actress who works mainly in Hindi and Tamil film industry. She made her film debut with the Malayalam film '' Prajapathi'' in 2006. She went on to have major to minor supporting roles in several Hindi films, includ ...
as
Mehrunisa – first wife of Alauddin Khilji and Queen of the Delhi Sultanate.
*
Jim Sarbh
Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian film and stage actor. Best known for his supporting work in the Hindi films, he is the recipient of a Screen Award, an International Indian Film Academy Award and two Filmfare Award nominations. Addi ...
as
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promi ...
– a prominent
eunuch
A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function.
The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium ...
slave-general of Alauddin Khilji.
*
Raza Murad
Raza Murad (born 23 November 1950) is an Indian actor who appears primarily in Hindi films.
He has over 250 Bollywood film credits. Murad has also appeared in Bhojpuri and other regional-language films and on Hindi television.
Early life
He i ...
as
Jalal-ud-din Khalji
Jalal-ud-din Khalji, also known as Firuz-Al-Din Khalji or Jalaluddin Khilji (c. 1220 – 19 July 1296, ) ( fa, جلالالدین خلجی) was the founder and first Sultan of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1290 to 132 ...
– the founder and first
Sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
of the Khilji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate. He was deposed by his nephew and son-in-law Alauddin, who murdered his uncle to usurp the throne.
*
Anupriya Goenka
Anupria Goenka (born 29 May 1987) is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She first shot to fame in 2013 as the face of UPA government's ''Bharat Nirman''. Goenka made her on-screen debut with the 2013 Telugu film ...
as
Nagmati
Nagmati was, according to legend, the first wife and chief queen of King Ratan Sen (identified with Ratnasimha), the Rajput ruler of Medapata (present-day Mewar). Nagmati plays an important role in Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem ''Padmavat''. ...
– first wife and chief queen of Ratan Singh according to ''Padmaavat''. Nagmati and her husband's second wife, Padmavati, performed ''jauhar'' together after Alauddin Khilji attacked Chittor.
*
Ujjwal Chopra
Ujjawal Chopra is an Indian Bollywood and television actor. He played the character of Gora Singh in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ''Padmaavat'', and as Solanki in ''Special 26
''Special 26'' is an Indian Hindi-language 2013 period heist thrill ...
as
Gora Singh
*Bhawani Muzamil as
Amir Khusro
Abu'l Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrau (1253–1325 AD), better known as Amīr Khusrau was an Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, poet and scholar who lived under the Delhi Sultanate. He is an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian s ...
*Deepak Shreemali as
Badal Singh
*Ashwin Dhar as
Ulugh Khan
Almas Beg (died c. 1302), better known by his title Ulugh Khan, was a brother and a general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He held the iqta' of Bayana in present-day India.
Ulugh Khan played an important role in Alauddin's asce ...
*Ayaz Khan as
Hakeem
Hakeem is an Arabic-language given name, a romanization variant of Hakim. It can also be used as a surname. Notablle people with the name include: Given name
* Hakeem Abdul-Saboor
*Hakeem Abdul-Shaheed
*Hakeem Adeniji
* Hakeem al-Araibi
* Hakeem ...
*Saar Kashyap as Wardhan
Production
Development
An adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic ''Padmavat'' (1540),
Sanjay Leela Bhansali had been planning a film adaptation for a decade.
He first worked on a television adaptation as an assistant editor for
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal (born 14 December 1934) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. He has received ...
's television series ''
Bharat Ek Khoj
''Bharat Ek Khoj'' () is a 53-episode Indian historical drama based on the book ''The Discovery of India'' (1946) by Jawaharlal Nehru that covers a 5,000-year history of India from its beginnings to independence from the British in 1947. The dr ...
'' (1988), based on
Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
's ''
The Discovery of India
''The Discovery of India'' was written by the Indian Independence leader, Jawaharlal Nehru (later India's first Prime Minister) during his incarceration in 1942–1945 at Ahmednagar fort in present day Indian state of Maharashtra by British co ...
'' (1946), featuring an episode about ''Padmavat'' starring
Om Puri
Om Prakash Puri (18 October 1950 – 6 January 2017) was an Indian actor who appeared in mainstream commercial Hindi films as well as Bengali, Kannada,English, Punjabi and one Telugu film, as well as independent and art films and also starred ...
as Alauddin Khilji. In 2008, Bhansali produced an
opera version in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, inspiring him to begin work on a film version.
''Padmaavat'' also took inspiration from other earlier adaptations of the epic, including
Bengali literary adaptations from
Kshirode Prasad Vidyavinode
Kshirod Prasad ( bn, ক্ষীরোদ প্রসাদ ''Kṣhirōd prasād '') (23 Jan 1986), born ''Kshirod Prasad Joshi'' is a Odiya people, Odiya Business developer,CEO of KP SUITES PRIVATE LIMITED, Enterprineur.
Early life and ed ...
in 1906 and
Abanindranath Tagore
Abanindranath Tagore ( Bengali: অবনীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 August 1871 – 5 December 1951) was the principal artist and creator of the "Indian Society of Oriental Art". He was also the first major exponent of Sw ...
in 1909,
the
Tamil film
Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood is a part of Indian Cinema; primarily engaged in production of motion pictures in the Tamil language. Based out of the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, it is popularly called ''Kollywood' ...
''
Chittoor Rani Padmini
''Chitor Rani Padmini'' () is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language historical drama film written by C. V. Sridhar and Elangovan, and directed by Ch. Narayana Murthy. It is based on the legend of Rani Padmini. The film starred Sivaji Ganesan as Rana Rat ...
'' (1963),
and the
Hindi film
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
''Maharani Padmini'' (1964).
Pre-production on the film began in July 2016. That same month, playback singer
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer and television personality. One of the highest-paid and most well-established playback singers of Indian cinema, she has received four National Film Awards, four Kerala State Film Awar ...
tweeted about performing a song composed by Bhansali for the film. Many media outlets speculated that Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, who played the leads in Bhansali's ''
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela
''Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela'' () or simply known as ''Ram-Leela'', is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language tragic romantic action film written and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who also composed its original soundtrack. The film was jointly ...
'' (2013) and ''
Bajirao Mastani
''Bajirao Mastani'' is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language epic historical romance film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who co-produced it with Eros International and composed its soundtrack. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priy ...
'' (2015), were finalised to play
Alauddin Khilji
Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrative ...
and Rani Padmavati in the film. In October 2016, it was announced that Bhansali would team up with
Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
Viacom18 Studios (Also known as Paramount 18 Studios), a subsidiary of Viacom18 (a Paramount Networks EMEAA and Network18 joint venture) based in Mumbai, is one of the first studio model based motion picture & content production business in Ind ...
to produce the film with Singh and Padukone along with
Shahid Kapoor
Shahid Kapoor (; born 25 February 1981) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. Initially recognised for portraying romantic roles, he has since taken on parts in action films and thrillers, and is the recipient of several awards, inc ...
as Rawal Ratan Singh, playing the lead roles.
Casting
''Padmaavat'' is the third collaboration between
Ranveer Singh
Ranveer Singh Bhavnani (; born 6 July 1985) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. The recipient of several awards, including five Filmfare Awards, he is among the highest-paid Indian actors and has been featured in '' Forbes India''s ...
and
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone ( or ; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in India, and her accolades include three Filmfare Awards. She features in listings of the nation's most pop ...
with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The trio had worked before in ''
Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela'' (2013) and ''
Bajirao Mastani
''Bajirao Mastani'' is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language epic historical romance film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who co-produced it with Eros International and composed its soundtrack. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priy ...
'' (2015), while it is Kapoor's first film with the three. Their co-star from the previous films,
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra Jonas (; ; born 18 July 1982) is an Indian actress and producer. The winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, Chopra is one of India's highest-paid actresses and has received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awar ...
was also in consideration to play the title role.
Shahrukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...
was offered the role of Rawal Ratan Singh but felt it was not "meaty" enough and declined; failure to agree on his fee may have been a factor. Shahid Kapoor was finally cast to play Ratan Singh with an assurance of a good enough part and a hefty fee. For his role, Kapoor undertook rigorous training under trainer Samir Jaura and followed a strict diet for 40 days. He also learnt sword fighting and the basics of
Mardani khel
Mardani khel is an armed Indian martial art from Maharashtra. It is particularly known for its use of the uniquely Indian patta (sword) and ''vita'' (corded lance). The early history of mardani khel as a distinct system is difficult to trace prior ...
, a weapon-based martial art, and admitted that it had been one of the most physically and emotionally challenging roles of his career.
Ranveer Singh portrays the antagonist of the film, Alauddin Khilji, the first negative role of his career. Director Bhansali had given him books to read delving into the psyche of dark rulers of history such as
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
, asserting that he had to completely forget who he was before he could play Khilji. Singh trained under Mustafa Ahmed to get into proper shape for the role. The actor worked out twice a day for six days a week. Playing Khilji so affected Singh's personality and behaviour that he had to see a psychiatrist to return to normal.
Jaya Bachchan
Jaya Bachchan (''Birth name, née'' Bhaduri; born 9 April 1948) is an Indian actress and politician. She is a member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from the Samajwadi Party, serving four terms since 2004. Known primarily for her work in Hindi ...
recommended
Aditi Rao Hydari
Aditi Rao Hydari is an Indian actress who works mainly in Hindi and Tamil film industry. She made her film debut with the Malayalam film '' Prajapathi'' in 2006. She went on to have major to minor supporting roles in several Hindi films, includ ...
's name to Bhansali for the role of Khilji's first wife, Mehrunisa.
Bhansali cast Hydari over four other choices. She is the only member of the star cast who actually belongs to a royal lineage.
Veteran actor
Raza Murad
Raza Murad (born 23 November 1950) is an Indian actor who appears primarily in Hindi films.
He has over 250 Bollywood film credits. Murad has also appeared in Bhojpuri and other regional-language films and on Hindi television.
Early life
He i ...
portrays Alauddin's paternal uncle and Khilji dynasty founder, Sultan
Jalaluddin Khilji
Jalal-ud-din Khalji, also known as Firuz-Al-Din Khalji or Jalaluddin Khilji (c. 1220 – 19 July 1296, ) ( fa, جلالالدین خلجی) was the founder and first Sultan of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1290 to 132 ...
. Murad has earlier collaborated with Bhansali in ''Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela'' and ''Bajirao Mastani''.
Jim Sarbh
Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian film and stage actor. Best known for his supporting work in the Hindi films, he is the recipient of a Screen Award, an International Indian Film Academy Award and two Filmfare Award nominations. Addi ...
portrays
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promi ...
, a prominent eunuch slave-general of Alauddin Khilji. Sarbh learned horse-riding for the role.
On 25 October 2017, a video of the first song from the film, titled ''
Ghoomar
Ghoomar or ghumar is a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan. It was the Bhil tribe who performed it to worship Goddess Sarasvati which was later embraced by other Rajasthani communities. The dance is chiefly performed by veiled women who wear fl ...
'', was released, in which a woman dressed like a queen appeared briefly. It was later revealed in a
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
fan page of Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions, that the woman is Maharawal Ratan Singh's first wife, Rani
Nagmati
Nagmati was, according to legend, the first wife and chief queen of King Ratan Sen (identified with Ratnasimha), the Rajput ruler of Medapata (present-day Mewar). Nagmati plays an important role in Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem ''Padmavat''. ...
, who is portrayed by
Anupriya Goenka
Anupria Goenka (born 29 May 1987) is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She first shot to fame in 2013 as the face of UPA government's ''Bharat Nirman''. Goenka made her on-screen debut with the 2013 Telugu film ...
.
Budget
Due to the costs mounted on the film by delay in the release,
Box Office India
Box Office India is an Indian film website. Its traffic ranking in India is 83,665 . A new Box Office India website went live on 20 January 2014.
About
Box Office India was launched on 10 June 2003. Its uses Whois privacy to anonymize its owne ...
declared the film's budget to be , which makes it the
most expensive Hindi film and one of the
most expensive Indian films ever made.
Costumes
Delhi-based Rimple and Harpreet Narula designed Rani Padmavati's costume using traditional
Gota
Gota or Gøta or Göta may refer to:
People
*Gotabaya Rajapaksa (born 1949), 8th President of Sri Lanka
*, Japanese freestyle skier
*Gota Yashiki (born 1962), both an independent acid jazz artist and drum/bass player, as a member of the band S ...
embroidery work of Rajasthan. The border derives from the architectural details of Rajasthani palace windows and jharokhas and the odhnis have been styled in conventional ways which are still prevalent in the Mewar belt of
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
. The designer duo elaborated that the costume worn by Padukone in the final scene of the film features the tree-of-life motif and twisted
gota
Gota or Gøta or Göta may refer to:
People
*Gotabaya Rajapaksa (born 1949), 8th President of Sri Lanka
*, Japanese freestyle skier
*Gota Yashiki (born 1962), both an independent acid jazz artist and drum/bass player, as a member of the band S ...
embroidery and has a Kota dupatta with
block printing
Woodblock printing or block printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later paper. Each page or image is create ...
. Padukone's dresses were made with
Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
influences, as the character of Padmavati hailed from
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
.
The costumes for Shahid Kapoor were made from mulmul and cotton, with special attention given to the
turban
A turban (from Persian دولبند, ''dulband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Communities with promine ...
s, one of which, featuring a 28-dye lehariya, was inspired by a turban to be found at the
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. The clothes for Ranveer Singh were based on travellers' accounts of the
Turko-Persian
The composite Turko-Persian, Turco-Persian
''Turko-Persia in historical perspective'', Cambridge University Press, ...
influence on Indian clothing (Khilji was of
Turko-Afghan
The composite Turko-Persian, Turco-Persian
''Turko-Persia in historical perspective'', Cambridge University Press, ...
heritage).
The costumes for Aditi Rao Hydari, who plays Khilji's first wife Mehrunisa, incorporated Turkish,
Afghan
Afghan may refer to:
*Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia
*Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity
** Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...
,
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...
and
Ottoman elements to showcase Mehrunisa's
Turkic origins.
For both Ranveer Singh and Hydari's costumes, extensive research was done on the clothing and textiles of the Turkish belt, from
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...
to
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
and to the
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
n belt around
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
.
Padukone's look for the "Ghoomar" song features intricate jewellery weighing up to 3 kg designed by
Tanishq
Tanishq is an Indian jewellery brand and a division of Titan Company. Founded in 1994, Tanishq is headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
History
By the end of the 1980s, the Titan company launched Tanishq. In the early 1990s, India' ...
featuring a triple Borla, Mathapatti and Bajuband which are traditional ornaments worn by the Rajasthani women.
Vipul Amar and Harsheen Arora of Delhi-based design house 'The V Renaissance' designed costumes for Rawal Ratan Singh and Alauddin Khilji, employing historical techniques to create the armour such as
cuirboilli, sculpting, chiselling, and inlaying. The armour took a team of forty workers eight months to prepare.
Music
The
film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to ...
is composed by
Sanchit Balhara while the songs are composed by
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali (; born 24 February 1963) is an Indian filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and music composer who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards, ten Filmfar ...
.
A. M. Turaz
A M Turaz (Aas Mohammed Turaz) is an Indian poet, lyricist, and script writer. He has worked in television, music albums and films. He has written the lyrics for a number of Bollywood films including ''Kudiyon Ka Hai Zamaana'' of 2007, ''The U ...
and Siddharth-Garima wrote the lyrics to the songs.
The first song "
Ghoomar
Ghoomar or ghumar is a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan. It was the Bhil tribe who performed it to worship Goddess Sarasvati which was later embraced by other Rajasthani communities. The dance is chiefly performed by veiled women who wear fl ...
", to which Padukone performs the traditional Rajasthani folk dance on a set that replicates the interior of Chittorgarh Fort, was released on 26 October 2017. The second song from the film "Ek Dil, Ek Jaan", a love ballad featuring Padukone and Shahid Kapoor, was released on 19 November 2017. The complete soundtrack was released by the record label
T-Series on 6 January 2018 in Hindi, and 12 January 2018 in Tamil and Telugu.
Controversy
The film became controversial during production. Several
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
caste organisations including
Shri Rajput Karni Sena and its members had protested and later vandalised the film sets claiming that the film portrays the Padmavati, a Rajput queen, in bad light. They had also assaulted Bhansali on a film set.
The Sena had made further threats of violence. While filming a scene in
Masai Plateau
The Masai Plateau, also known as the Masai Pathar or Masai Sadas, is a plateau situated 30 kilometers west from Kolhapur city in Maharashtra.
It is known for scenery and various types of seasonal wildflowers that bloom in the months of August a ...
,
Kolhapur
Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarter of the Kolhapur district. In, around 2 C.E. Kolapur's name was 'Kuntal'.
Kolhapur is kn ...
at night in October 2017, some people attacked and set the set ablaze, injuring animals and destroying several costumes.
Several Muslim leaders protested against the alleged misrepresentation of Ala-ud-din Khilji and called for a ban.
In the days leading up to the film's release, there were violent protests and riots in several parts of India. In
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
, the protestors had attacked several vehicles including a school bus.
Bhansali and Deepika Padukone had received threats of violence and death.
The film makers received support from the film community and industry associations including the
Indian Film & Television Directors' Association, Cine & TV Artists Association, Western India Cinematographers' Association, Association of Cine & Television Art Directors & Costume Designers.
The major political parties across India took conflicting stands. Several members and leaders of the
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Modi ...
(BJP) called for a ban on the film. The Rajasthan State unit of the
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...
(INC) had also called for ban.
The controversies surrounding the film re-opened the question of
film censorship in India
This is a list of films that have been or are banned in India. This list includes titles that were refused a rating by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially or permanently. The list also includes films whose release or producti ...
and
the country's freedom of expression. The
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
dismissed a petition calling to stop the film's release citing the freedom of speech and expression.
The movie is banned in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
by the Home Ministry due to its negative portrayal of a Muslim ruler and for touching its sensitivities of Islam since Malaysia is predominantly a Muslim nation.
Release
The
digital streaming
Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content it ...
rights of ''Padmaavat'' were sold to
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
for 200–250 million in August 2017. Theatrical distribution rights in overseas territories were acquired by
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
from
Viacom 18
Viacom18 Media Private Limited is an Indian media and entertainment joint venture between TV18 and Paramount Global based in Mumbai. It was founded in 2007 and owns various channels, as well as content production studios in India.
History
In ...
in October. Prime Focus Limited rendered the film in
3D. The film was initially scheduled for theatrical release on 1 December 2017 in India, but was delayed due to protests.
''Padmavati'' was initially slated for release in the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
on 30 November 2017 and in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
on 1 December 2017 but the makers stated that the film would not be released in foreign territories before receiving a certificate from the
Central Board of Film Certification
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory film-certification body in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India. It is tasked with "regulating the public exhibition of films under the provision ...
(CBFC). In the end of December, CBFC approved the film for theatrical exhibition and suggested 5 modifications to the film, which includes the addition of multiple disclaimers and amending its title to ''Padmaavat''.
The change in the title was intended to be a disclaimer that the film is not a historical drama, but a cinematic adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem ''Padmavat''.
The
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of f ...
(BBFC) passed the film with a (12A) rating and zero cuts.
Post the CBFC approval with U/A certification, the film got banned by the Chief Ministers of four states
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
,
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
,
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
and
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
in order to maintain 'law and order' and avert protests in their states. The
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme judicial authority of India and is the highest court of the Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, has the final decision in all legal matters ...
over-ruled the ban, stating that freedom of speech is to be maintained and that the states have to ensure the screening of the film without any issues. On 30 January 2018,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
banned the film.
Padmaavat premiered on television on 30 September 2018 on Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC)
Colors
Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...
, Colors HD, Hindi movie channel Rishtey Cineplex. The film was dubbed and released in
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
,
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
and
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
languages under the same title.
Reception
Box office
Due to the numerous controversies associated with ''Padmaavat'' before its release which resulted in banning the film in certain states, the film's commercial performance was highly unpredictable.
The film was released in only 70% of places in India. However, despite limited screenings, the film earned an estimated in Wednesday paid previews. The following day, the film opened nationwide across 4,800 screens of which over 500 screens were shown in Tamil and Telugu. It earned an estimated nett on its opening day in India, excluding previews, which was considered impressive despite its ban in numerous big states and marked a career best opening for Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shahid Kapoor and fourth biggest for Padukone (behind ''
Happy New Year'', ''
Chennai Express
''Chennai Express'' () is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Gauri Khan and Karim Morani, based on a story by K. Subash, with a screenplay written by ...
'' and ''
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
''Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani'' (), also abbreviated as ''YJHD'', is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama film directed by Ayan Mukerji, written by Mukerji and Hussain Dalal, and produced by Karan Johar. It stars Ranbi ...
''). On Friday, the film added another , owing to national holiday on
Republic Day
Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics.
List
January 1 January in Slovak Republic
The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially cal ...
. This was followed by a gradual fall on Saturday taking in another . Through Sunday, the film delivered an opening weekend of and became the fourteenth film to enter the
100 crore club in just under 4 days. Furthermore, it broke the record for the biggest IMAX opening in India with US$461,000 from 12 screens.
However, due to its limited screenings, the film nevertheless lost over in box office receipts during its opening weekend.
Outside India, the film broke all-time opening day records in Australia (A$367,984), surpassing the likes of ''
Dangal'' and the dubbed-Hindi version of ''
Baahubali: The Conclusion''.
One of the reason behind the film's successful run in the country was because Paramount (the overseas distributing company) was able to secure release in all three major theatre chains (
Hoyts
The Hoyts Group of companies in Australia and New Zealand includes Hoyts Cinemas and Val Morgan. Hoyts operates more than 450 cinema screens and 55,000 seats, making it Australia's second largest movie exhibitor after Event Hospita ...
,
Event Cinemas
Greater Union Organisation Pty Ltd, trading as Event Cinemas, Greater Union, GU Film House, Moonlight Cinema and Birch Carroll & Coyle (BCC Cinemas), is the largest movie exhibitor in Australia and New Zealand, with over 140 Multiplex (movie the ...
and
Village Cinemas
Village Cinemas is an Australian-based multinational movie theater, film exhibition brand that mainly shows blockbuster (entertainment), blockbuster, mainstream, children's film, children and family films and some arthouse, foreign language fil ...
) unlike other Bollywood films which have to choose between the two latter. In the United States and Canada, the film grossed $1.13 million on its opening day. This was followed by the biggest ever single-day for a Hindi film with $1.8 million on Saturday, breaking the previous record held by ''
PK'' ($1.41 million). Although ''
Baahubali: The Conclusion'' still
holds the record for all Indian films, that is inclusive of three different languages. It went on to set a new opening weekend record for a Hindi film with $4.2 million, and witnessed the second best per-theatre-average inside the top 10 with $13,188 from 324 theatres.
As of 6 February 2018, the film has crossed worldwide, making it one of the top 10
highest-grossing Bollywood films
This is a ranking of the highest grossing Indian films which includes films from various languages based on the conservative global box office estimates as reported by reputable sources. There is no official tracking of domestic box office fi ...
of all time. Its domestic
net income
In business and accounting, net income (also total comprehensive income, net earnings, net profit, bottom line, sales profit, or credit sales) is an entity's income minus cost of goods sold, expenses, depreciation and amortization, interest, a ...
was in the fourth weekend of its run.
The film has grossed worldwide.
Critical response
India
= Hindi version
=
''Padmaavat'' opened to mixed critical reviews upon release. Critics praised the visuals, and the performance of Singh, but criticised its storyline, execution, running time and the "unwanted" 3D conversion.
Following its controversies, the makers held a pre-screening of ''Padmaavat'' in November 2017 for some journalists, including
Arnab Goswami
Arnab or Arnav is a first name popular in India, and means "ocean" in Sanskrit. It also means "rabbit" in Arabic. Notable people with the name include:
* Arnab Basu, game designer, video-games producer; known for Tomb Raider series
* Arnab Chakr ...
and
Rajat Sharma
Rajat Sharma (born 18 February 1957) is an Indian journalist and businessperson who is the chairman and Editor-in-chief of India TV, an Indian news outlet. Sharma is known for his show ''Aap Ki Adalat'' in which he is seen interviewing politic ...
, who praised the film and described it as "the greatest tribute to Rajput pride." Rajat Sharma particularly praised Singh's performance as Khilji.
Taran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh (born 13 June 1965) is an Indian film critic and trade analyst. He is best known for giving trade figures and box office updates on social media.
Career
Taran Adarsh started his journalism career at the age of 15 with ''Trade Gui ...
of
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is a Bollywood entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000.
The website provides ...
gave 4.5 stars and said, "On the whole, ''Padmaavat'' is a remarkable motion picture experience that's backed by proficient direction, spellbinding screenwriting and superlative acting. For Bhansali, it's the best title on an impressive filmography." Neil Soans of ''
The Times of India
''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...
'' gave 4 stars and said, "The director's expertise in heightening opulence and grandeur is well-known, further distinguishable in 3D. Cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee compliments him by beautifully capturing some jaw-dropping scenery." Rachit Gupta of ''
Filmfare
''Filmfare'' is an Indian English language, English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of Indian most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, r ...
'' gave 3.5 stars and said, "the real wonder of Padmaavat comes from its production and presentation. This film has phenomenal production design, costumes and camera work. The technical finesse on display is just mind boggling."
Rajeev Masand
Rajeev Masand is an Indian film critic and journalist. He has worked for Noida based English language news channel CNN-Indian Broadcasting Network (CNN-IBN). He usually reviews Bollywood films and major Hollywood films released in India in hi ...
of
News18
Network18 Media & Investments Limited, (formerly SGA Finance and Management Service and Network18 Fincap Limited) commonly referred to as the Network18 Group and sometimes as the Network18–Eenadu Group, is an Indian media conglomerate owned b ...
gave 3.5 stars, praising Singh's performance.
Kunal Guha of ''
Mumbai Mirror
The ''Mumbai Mirror'' is an Indian English-language newspaper published in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Launched in 2005 as a compact daily newspaper, its coverage focuses on city specific local news and civic issues concerning education, healthcare an ...
'' gave 3.5 stars but criticised Padukone's and Kapoor 's performances. Giving 3.5 stars, Sushant Mehta of ''
India Today
''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' launched a new onl ...
'' panned Padukone's and Kapoor's performances calling them "mediocre" while terming Singh's "unconvincing".
Anupama Chopra
Anupama Chopra () is an Indian author, journalist, film critic and director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. She is also the founder and editor of the digital platform Film Companion, which offers a curated look at cinema. She has written sev ...
of Film Companion gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and said, "I clinically admired each frame. I applauded the work of cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee, costume designers Harpreet-Rimple, Maxima Basu, Chandrakant & Ajay, and production designers Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray. But I wasn't seduced by the story telling." Shubhra Gupta of ''
The Indian Express
''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split betw ...
'' gave 2.5 stars and said, "''Padmaavat'' is spectacular
o look
O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), pl ...
no one can do spectacle like Bhansali. You can easily delight in it while the going is good. But nearly three hours of it, and looping rhetoric around what constitutes Rajput valour can and does become tiresome." Mayur Sanap of ''
Deccan Chronicle
''Deccan Chronicle'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded by Rajagopal Mudaliar in the 1930s & currently owned by Samagrah Commercial Pvt Limited. It is published in Hyderabad, Telangana, by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited ( ...
'' criticised the execution and the length and gave 2.5 stars. Suparna Sharma, also of ''Deccan Chronicle'' gave 2.5 stars and said, "Padmaavat is offensively chauvinistic, blatantly right-wing, and quite unabashedly anti-Muslim".
Raja Sen of
NDTV India
NDTV India (styled as NDTV इंडिया) is a Hindi news channel in India owned by New Delhi Television Limited.
In June 2016, NDTV decided to launch two separate channels called NDTV India and NDTV Spice in the United Kingdom.
Histor ...
gave 1.5 stars and said, "Bhansali takes an unbearable length of time to spark the flame. Things go on and on and on, with characters it is impossible to care about. They may appear attractive from time to time, certainly, but these protagonists are inconsistent, infuriating and test the patience."
Rediff.com
Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City.
, it had more than 300 e ...
also gave 1.5 stars calling it "superficial" and wrote, "Deepika Padukone gets an absolute raw deal as the Queen; her performance is submissively overwrought, blandly weighted, and her speeches combined with the leisureliness of the narrative's pacing, can put you in a stupor. Worst of all, you will be driven by the suspicion if Padukone even does enough to deserve the movie's title."
Namrata Joshi
Namrata Joshi is an Indian film critic based in New Delhi. Originally working for ''Outlook'', she remained there from 1999 till 2015, when she joined ''The Hindu''. She won the National Film Award for Best Film Critic in 2004
Career
Joshi is ...
of ''
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
'' gave a negative review noting the film is "a yawn fest" and "an interminable expanse of unadulterated dullness." She also criticised the 3D conversion writing, "The opulence doesn't seem as awe-inspiring, the special effects, especially in some of the battle scenes, are plain tacky and the actors seem like cardboard dolls of themselves in the long shots, acquiring a human visage only in the extreme".
Anna M. M. Vetticad
Anna Mercy Mathews Vetticad, commonly known as Anna M. M. Vetticad, is an Indian film critic and journalist. She has been in the field of journalism since 1994. Vetticad has also hosted her own interview show, ''Star Trek'', on Headlines Today ...
of ''
Firstpost
''Firstpost'' is an Indian online news and media website. The site is a part of the Network 18 media conglomerate owned by Reliance Industries, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC-TV18.
The ''Network 18'' group was originally owned by Raghav ...
'' criticised the film giving 1 star out of 5 writing "Padmaavat is a perfect example of a Hindi film couching its extreme prejudices in grandiloquence and tacky clichés, with those clichés embedded in resplendent frames."
= Tamil Version
=
Reviewing the Tamil dubbed version, ''IndiaGlitz'' who gave a rating of 3.5 out of 5, stated that "When lust meets honor; its always the good that prevails." ''Behindwoods'' gave 3 out of 5 stars stating that "The high moments might be a few, yet Padmaavat is richly deserving of its acclaim."
= Telugu version
=
Regarding the Telugu version, Venkat Arikatla of ''Great Andhra'' gave the film's rating 2.75 out of 5 stating that "Probably, that is the biggest problem of Bhansali's Padmaavat. It seems disinterested in exploring the grandiose that a film of such magnitude promises or the makers were so caught up in characterization, that they have lost out on giving the period drama the treatment it truly deserved." Indiaglitz gave 3 out of 5 stars stating that "Nuanced screenplay, dialogues that come with depth, amazing Ranveer and the visuals make the first half a mind-blowing experience. The second half is plain for the most part. Don't expect the war sequences to amaze you."
= Kannada version
=
Regarding the Kannada dubbed version, ''Indiaglitz'' gave 3 out of 5 and also wrote "Nuanced screenplay, dialogues that come with depth, amazing Ranveer and the visuals make the first half a mind-blowing experience. The second half is plain for the most part. Don't expect the war sequences to amaze you."
Overseas
Mike McCahill of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' gave 4 stars and said, "It's not just the extravagance that catches the eye, but the precision with which it's applied. Every twirl of every sari and every arrow in every battle appears to have been guided by the hands of angels. Such excess could have proved deadening, but dynamic deployment of old-school star power keeps almost all its scenes alive with internal tensions." Shilpa Jamkhandikar published a mixed review in
Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was estab ...
, who noted, "But unlike Bhansali's earlier films, where he was able to find emotional depth even in opulent historical romances, this one falls short". But she praised Ranveer Singh's performance as Khilji. Manjusha Radhakrishnan of ''Gulf News'' opined that the quality of the work was lower than that in other Bhansali films. Sadaf Haider of ''
DAWN Images
''Dawn'' is a Pakistani English language, English-language newspaper that was launched in British Raj, British India in 1941. It is the largest English newspaper in Pakistan, and also serves as the country's newspaper of record. ''Dawn'' is the ...
'' said that the film is "a flawed history lesson", however, she praised the film visual, music and most of the act. Rahul Aijaz of ''
The Express Tribune
''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the ''Interna ...
'' rated 4.5 out of 5 stars; he too praised the film and said that it "doesn't set up false expectations and then disappoint" due to "perfect storytelling", and "memorable performances". A Pakistani critic, Haroon Khalid, had disliked the portrayal of Khilji as a stereotypical evil Muslim king and Ratan Singh as the righteous Hindu king.
Historical inaccuracies
In the film, the Delhi Sultanate's flag is shown in black colour with a white crescent moon. The Sultanate actually had a green flag with a black band running vertically on the left.
Most historians believe little evidence exists for Padmavati in real life. And, in the original ''Padmavat'' poem written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, Khilji never had direct confrontation with Raja Ratansen.
Portrayal of Jalaluddin and Alauddin Khilji
Before their ascension to the throne, Jalaluddin and Alauddin Khilji were known as Malik Feroze and
Ali Gurshasp, respectively.
Jalaluddin Khilji is portrayed as an arrogant, cunning and cruel man, though he was actually popular for being a mild-mannered, humble, and pious ruler.
Jalaluddin ascended the throne of Delhi in 1290 only to end the chaos that ensued after the death of Sultan
Ghiyas ud din Balban
Ghiyas ud din Balban (1216–1287, reigned: 1266–1287) ( ur, ); (Hindi: ग़ियास उद-दीन बलबन); (IAST: ''Ghiyās ud-Dīn Balban'') was the ninth sultan of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi.
Ghiyas ud Din was the ''regen ...
.
He was not ambitious by nature and did not lead an attack on the
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526). from
Ghazni
Ghazni ( prs, غزنی, ps, غزني), historically known as Ghaznain () or Ghazna (), also transliterated as Ghuznee, and anciently known as Alexandria in Opiana ( gr, Αλεξάνδρεια Ωπιανή), is a city in southeastern Afghanistan ...
,
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
.
The portrayal of Alauddin Khilji in the film has been criticised by historians and critics for its historical and geographical inaccuracies and not staying faithful to the epic ''
Padmavat
''Padmavat'' (or ''Padmawat'') is an epic poem written in 1540 by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi, who wrote it in the Hindustani language of Awadhi language, Awadhi, and originally in the Persian Nastaʿlīq script. It is the oldest extant t ...
''.
The film shows an unsuccessful assassination plot by Alauddin's nephew, one which seriously injures the Sultan, but none of this actually happened.
Historian Rana Safvi wrote that Khilji was sophisticated, not barbarian as portrayed in the film.
Historian Mohammed Safiullah also criticised Khilji's portrayal and the implicit depiction of a
homosexual relationship
A same-sex relationship is a romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex. ''Same-sex marriage'' refers to the institutionalized recognition of such relationships in the form of a marriage; civil unions may exist in countries ...
between Khilji and his slave-general
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promi ...
.
Historian Archana Ojha of
Delhi University
Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate university, collegiate Central university (India), central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and ...
criticised Alauddin Khilji's look and clothing in the film.
Accolades
See also
*
List of Asian historical drama films
Historical or period drama is a film genre in which stories are based on historical events and famous persons. Some historical dramas attempt to accurately portray a historical event or biography, to the degree that the available historical researc ...
References
External links
*
''Padmaavat''at
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is a Bollywood entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000.
The website provides ...
*
*
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