Padmaavat: Deepika Padukone defends Jauhar scene after backlash

After a long wait and much hullabaloo, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat finally saw the light of the day last week on January 25. The film, which released amid heavy security, has been receiving accolades from critics, film industry members and audiences for the performances and the film.

While the magnum opus film has already crossed 100 crores in the first weekend, Padmaavat also received backlash for glorifying Jauhar aka self immolation sequence. Before the beginning of the film, a big disclaimer was on the screen stating that the film doesn’t glorify the act of Jauhar. It says that the film is inspired by 16th-century poet Malik Muhammed Jayasi’s fictional piece Padmavat.

Deepika Padukone, Padmaavat

While the practice of self-immolation amongst women has been mentioned many times in the history books, it did not sit well with many including Swara Bhasker. The actress lashed out at Sanjay Leela Bhansali for glorifying Jauhar amongst many other things.

Deepika Padukone, who has time and again said that it was a difficult process to shoot those scenes, has come out in defense of her director and the Jauhar scene. In the film, Padmavati along with several women commit Jauhar aka self-immolation to protect themselves from the wrath of Sultan Alauddin Khilji.

Deepika Padukone defends Padmaavat Jauhar scene

Speaking to a daily, Deepika said that they were not endorsing Jauhar. She added that one must see the scene and practice of Jauhar in the context of the period it was shown. She called the scene to be very powerful and did not feel she was doing anything wrong. She lastly added that the when one sees the scene, they want Padmavati to embrace the flames because she was doing this to unite with the man she loves.

Padmaavat also stars Shahid Kapoor as Maha Rawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji. Deepika Padukone essays the role of Rani Padmavati, wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh while Ranveer essays the main antagonist. The cast included Raza Murad as Jalaluddin Khilji, Aditi Rao Hydari as Mehr-un-Nisa, Jim Sarbh as Malik Kafur and Anupriya Goenka as Rani Nagmati.