Stalled in India, Padmavati to release 'uncut' in UK on December 1

While the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavti has been stalled in India, the period drama is set to hit the theatres on its original release date in Britain. According to reports, the magnum opus, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, will be released in UK on December 1.

The film has reportedly been given a go-ahead by the British Board of Film Classification.

This comes as a major relief for the filmmakers of Padmavati as they were compelled to defer it in India because of protests and politics over alleged distortion of historical facts in the movie.

The makers had also asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to expedite the certification process for the film, but the request was turned down. The Censor board maintained that it would go with the chronological order of the films pending with them.

Meanwhile, the Sri Rajput Karni Sena has asserted that it won't allow the film to be released even if changes are made in it.

"My party members and I are totally against the film Padmavati's release. Even after the changes, we will not allow it to hit the theatres. We will come out on the streets along with other social organisations and protest against it if it gets a release date," Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi said on Wednesday.

Also, governments of several states - Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - have said that they won't allow the movie to be released if there is any distortion of historical facts.

Padmavati- based on the life of a Rajput Queen Rani Padmavati - is in the eye of the storm following protests from right-wing groups over alleged tampering with historical facts, a charge which Sanjay Leela Bhansali has categorically denied.

The film features Deepika Padukone in the titular role as Rani Padmavati, alongside Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji.

The release of the film, which was earlier slated for December 1, has now been deferred as the filmmakers are yet to secure a censor certificate. 

The Rajput Karni Sena had even called for a Bharat Bandh on December 1 to protest against the controversial film over what it calls ''blatant distortion of facts'' by its makers.