MALAYSIA: Controversial Bollywood movie ‘Padmaavat’, which was released inIndia after much struggle, has now been barred from screening in cinemasacross Malaysia over concerns regarding ‘sensitivities of Islam’.
Malaysia’s National Film Censorship Board (LPF) barred filmmaker SanjayLeela Bhansali’s epic drama ‘Padmaavat’ from getting released in thecountry.
LPF chairman Mohd Zamberi Abdul Aziz said in a statement that the storylineof the film itself is of grave concern as ‘Malaysia is a Muslim-majoritycountry’, reports variety.com.
However, as per reports, distributors in Malaysia are expected to appealthe LPF decision to a separately constituted Film Appeals Committee onTuesday.
Based on 16th-century poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s poem ‘Padmavat’, thefilm was caught in a row in India after protests from a Rajput outfit ShriRajput Karni Sena over allegations that the movie distorts historical factsand shows Rajput queen Rani Padmini in bad lights.
The film was eventually released in India on January 25.
Post-release, the film has had mixed reviews. It has been criticised bysome sections for glorifying not just Jauhar and also for showing AlauddinKhilji as a demon-like figure.
Malaysia has a history of banning movies that are widely distributedelsewhere in the world. Last year, it banned Disney’s ‘Beauty and theBeast’ because of its gay moment, before relenting and allowing it a PG13certificate.