After Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh-Shahid Kapoor starrer Padmaavat, Kangana Ranaut's Manikarnika has become the latest film – based on historical facts – to face the ire of a fringe group in Rajasthan.
According to the Times of India, the president of a lesser-known right-wing fringe outfit Sarva Brahmin Mahasabha has asked the Rajasthan government to stop the shooting of the film with immediate effect so as to ensure that historical facts were not distorted about Rani Laxmibai, the Queen of Jhansi.
President Suresh Mishra further insisted that the shooting would be allowed only if the film's makers assure them that no controversial scene would be shown in the movie. The fringe group claimed that a love song had been shot wherein Rani Laxmibai was seen with a British agent of East India Company.
The president, at a press conference, said that they would escalate the issue like Padmaavat if the state government fails to fulfill their demand within three days.
"Our sources have told us that the filmmakers are shooting for a love song in which Rani Laxmibai is seen with a British agent of East India Company. We suspect the producers are making the film based on the controversial book 'Rani' written by Jaishree Misra. On January 9, we had written a letter to producer Kamal Jain to share information on the writers and their profile. We had also asked them to share the profile of historians with whom the producers consulted," said Mishra.
"In order to check that the issue doesn't blow up like Padmaavat, the government must ensure nothing controversial is shown in the film. It should get an undertaking from the producers," he added.
Manikarnika is based on the life of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi and her war against the British East India Company during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Baahubali scriptwriter KV Vijayendra Prasad has penned the story for the movie, which is being directed by Krish and produced by Zee Studios in association with Kamal Jain.
Kangana essays the lead role of Rani Laxmibai, while Sonu Sood essays the male lead. Suresh Oberoi, Atul Kulkarni, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi, Ankita Lokhande, Richard Keep, Nihar Pandya and Amit Behl will be seen in the supporting cast of the movie.
