Ban rape, female foeticide, sexual molestation, not Padmaavat: Actress Renuka Shahane dares Karni Sena

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat has been facing opposition from Rajput Karni Sena despite the Supreme Court on January 18 paved the way for the all-India release of the movie on January 25.

Members of the Karni Sena have been carrying out protest marches across the country asking people to boycott and ban the release of the film in theatres.

While many Bollywood celebrities have come out in support of the film, Hum Aapke Hain Koun actress Renuka Shahane, who has time and again expressed her views and raised pertinent questions on various issues, took a strong stand against the ongoing protests by the fringe groups, without uttering a word.

The actress, who minces no words when it comes to speaking her mind, posted a series of pictures on her Facebook profile where she is seen holding placards demanding ban on rape, female foeticide and sexual molestation along with a picture of group of protesters who want Padmaavat to be banned with a red cross mark on it.

Her post has now gone viral on social media and has received over 4500 shares and 5.8k likes.

Rajput Karni Sena's patron and founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi, who recently made an appeal to the people to impose 'public curfew' against the film, has now appealed to the prime minister to ban the film under section 6 of the Cinematograph Act.

"(A total of) 1908 Kshatriya females have registered their names to perform Jauhar in Chittorgarh on January 24 if the film's screening is not stopped," Kalvi had said.

From being assaulted on the film's set in Jaipur to the set being vandalised in Kolhapur to getting threats from detractors, Bhansali has been facing the ire of fringe organisations that are up in arms against the period drama since its inception.

Months after facing opposition, the makers, Bhansali Productions and Viacom18 Motion Pictures, clarified that the film was based on 16th century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem Padmavat, and does not distort historical facts -- as was being alleged by some Rajput outfits.

The makers of Padmaavat secured a U/A certificate from the censor board after incorporating five modifications and locked the release date on January 25.