West Bengal Will Make Special Arrangements For Padmavati Release

Kolkata: Amid the raging controversy over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama "Padmavati", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday asserted that her state was ready to welcome the film and its crew.

"Yes we would welcome them. They are welcome here if they can't do it in other states. We can make special arrangements," Banerjee said at the India Today Conclave East here, in response to a query whether her state would welcome the film's crew for a premiere at a time when many states have banned the movie.

"Bengal will be very happy," she added. Several organisations across the country have been opposing the release of the movie. The Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor starrer was scheduled to be released on December 1, but it has now been deferred.

On November 22, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani declared his government would not allow the release of "Padmavati" in the poll-bound state.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held the film had "distorted facts" about Rajput queen Padmavati and would not be allowed to be released in his state, even if it gets a censor board certification.

His Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath had held the movie director responsible for hurting the sentiments of the Rajput community, while Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had sought edits in the film to remove "objectionable sequences".

IANS