Prithviraj, the upcoming Hindi film starring Akshay Kumar, ran into trouble after Hindu outfit Karni Sena demanded that the film’s title be changed.
According to The Times of India, Surjeet Singh Rathore, president of the youth wing of the Sena said that the makers should respect Prithviraj Chauhan, which will be portrayed by Kumar.
“How can they keep the title of the film as just Prithviraj when the film is based on the great Prithviraj Chauhan? We want the title to be changed to his full name and give respect to him,” Rathore said.
Taking to Instagram, Rathore shared a few news clippings and wrote in Hindi that the organisation respected Kumar. He added that the film’s producer, Aditya Chopra, should respect the last “Hindu samrat [ruler]” and use his name with due respect.
Rathore warned that if the the title was not changed, then the makers would have to face the same consequences as makers of Padmaavat (2018 film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali) faced. He added that Prithviraj‘s makers, Yash Raj Films, would be responsible for losses.
In 2016, the outfit had physically assaulted Bhansali and attacked the sets of Padmaavat while the film was being shot in Rajasthan. The film was then titled Padmavati. Claiming that the film planned to show romantic scenes featuring Rani Padmini and Alauddin Khilji (played by Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, respectively), the Karni Sena staged protests in several parts of the country. Bhansali, however, denied the presence of such scenes in the film. After facing death threats, Bhansali agreed to change the film’s title.
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Rathore said that Prithviraj’s makers have to adhere to three conditions – “screening of the film before its release, the film be shown to the Rajput society”, and the “title of the film to have the full name — Veer Yoddha Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan”.
Prithviraj was officially announced in 2019. In March 2020, Karni Sena’s members asked the producers not to tamper with historical facts. They created a stir while the film was being shot at Jamwaramgarh village, near Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Prithviraj will also star Miss World 2017 winner Manushi Chhillar. The film is set to release on November 5.