Grand opening of Padmaavat is my answer to illogical protests: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

'Padmaavat' stars Deepika, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh.

Mumbai: Finally opening up about the trouble he faced over the release of 'Padmaavat', director Sanjay Leela Bhansali said on Tuesday that the protests against his film were illogical and had no reasoning.

Bhansali also said that he was deeply troubled but instead of reacting to the furore, he focused on making the best possible film that he could.

"It is just an answer to the anguish that we all went through including me, the actors and the technicians. All of us were not being heard even after repeatedly saying that there is nothing wrong in the film. I realised that the best way of going ahead and fighting this is to make the film that is in my mind," Bhansali told PTI in an interview.

The director admitted that he found it mentally difficult to cope with the negativities surrounding the film. "I know I was troubled, I know I was distracted but deep inside, I found the strength to make the film and not let this anguish and disturbance reflect on the screen. In the last few months, I was constantly correcting, making creative touches and taking the film to the next level. That's the answer to all the objections that were based on rumours and a certain agenda that I could not understand," he said.

"The protests were illogical, they had no reasoning and there was nothing to be discussed. It had reached an obnoxious level with people sitting with swords on national television and giving death threats... Even if I went on every channel on television saying there was nothing wrong in the film, they would not understand it. No amount of justification would have reached them or been heard," Bhansali further said.

"(The response) shows that people had so much eagerness to see the film. I can only see love for the film... I knew deep down that the film was beautiful. There were anxious moments right from finishing it to getting the censors and to getting it into theatres... It was a relentless process. It was the most anxious release of my life for sure. I think it is the most anxious release in the history of Indian cinema. Lots of Rajput people have seen the film and they are saying this is our glory, this is celebrating us, our forefathers and ancestors and that there was nothing wrong in the film, and what the noise was all about?" he pointed out.

The film stars Deepika, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. It has been mired in controversy with several Rajput outfits alleging that the filmmaker has "distorted history" and hurt sentiments.

Battling protests and five modifications suggested by the CBFC - including the title change from "Padmavati" - the film finally released on January 25, 2018.

It marched past the Rs 100 crore mark at the box office in its opening weekend.

(With PTI inpus)