Questions on Padmavati, Jauhar asked in BHU exam

New Delhi: Caught in a controversy over its release, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati has been a topic of discussion in the last few days. It seems the Banaras Hindu University took benefit of the situation to educate its students about the fabled queen of Chittor.

The BHU asked its second-year MA History students questions related to Rani Padmavati and her Jauhar. During their exam on Society and Culture in Medieval India, they were asked to answer a 10-mark question saying asking: "What do you mean by Jauhar tradition? Describe Rani Padmavati’s Jauhar in the period of Alauddin Khilji."

Students were also asked questions around "teen talaq and halala as a social evil in Islam". Students at the BHU have claimed that their syllabus does not include the topic of teen talaq or Halala.

A student said that they read only a small portion on Padmavati but the professor had stressed on the topic because it was in the news over the upcoming film.

The movie Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh – which was initially slated to hit the silverscreen on December 1, has been indefinitely deferred. However, the makers are planning to announce the new release date soon.

Given the fact that there are no big releases in the first two weeks of January 2018, Padmavati may release during that period. However, there has been no discussion regarding the same.

For the unversed, Padmavati reportedly based on Padmavat by Malik Muhammad Jaysi in 1540 is inspired by one of the most glorious chapters of Indian history.

In Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film, Deepika essays the titular role of Rani Padmavati while Shahid Kapoor plays Maharawal Ratan Singh, a brave Rajput warrior. Ranveer Singh portrays Alauddin Khilji, the antagonist in the story.

Several Rajput organisations protested against the film believing that Padmavati had a dream sequence between Rani Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji. The filmmaker and other members of the production team clarified that the film doesn’t contain any objectionable content and that it upholds the pride and glory of the Rajput community.

But protestors were not convinced and they issued death threats to Bhansali and Deepika.