Padmaavat writer Prakash Kapadia hits back after Swara Bhasker reopens the debate over the film’s ‘jauhar’ scene.
Even eight years after its dramatic release in 2018, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s epic film Padmaavat is back in the news over a fresh debate. The movie, which starred Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor, faced major protests when it first came out. Now, a heated argument has restarted over the film’s final scene depicting jauhar (the historical act of women jumping into fire to avoid being captured by an invading army). The debate resurfaced after actress Swara Bhasker criticized the scene, leading to a strong reply from the film’s co-writer, Prakash Kapadia.
The renewed clash began after Swara Bhasker revisited her infamous open letter to director Sanjay Leela Bhansali during a recent appearance at the India International Centre in Delhi.
Speaking about the film’s dramatic ending, the actress raised concerns about the underlying message sent to modern viewers and assault survivors. She explained that watching hundreds of women walk into the fire made her question whether the film implied that a woman’s honor is worth more than her life. Pointing specifically to a close-up shot of a pregnant woman’s belly in the scene, Swara questioned the ethics of presenting self-sacrifice as the ultimate form of bravery. She argued that in a society struggling with sexual violence, cinema should never make survivors feel like their continued life lacks dignity.
As a viral video clip of her speech began circulating online, Swara faced swift backlash from social media users accusing her of disrespecting historical figures. In response, she took to Instagram to set the record straight, clarifying that her statements were being wildly distorted.
She emphasized that she never called Rani Padmaavati or the other women cowards. Instead, she was questioning the idea that a woman’s life loses its value after an assault, arguing that surviving should never be seen as something shameful.
In response to the growing drama, Padmaavat co-writer Prakash Kapadia came forward to defend the film in a chat with Hindustan Times. He stated that the movie was based on historical research and books, explaining that jauhar was a harsh “do or die” reality of those ancient times that cannot be changed now.
“We made the film according to our research and what is written in history books. Every person interprets the film differently. What we showed, including the jauhar scene, was the reality of those times; it cannot be changed now. The situation was that of ‘do or die’,” he was quoted as saying.
Prakash dismissed the renewed controversy, saying that if someone watches a film just to look for negativity, they will always find something to complain about.
Helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Padmaavat revolves around Alauddin Khilji’s relentless pursuit of Queen Padmavati, unfolding into a gripping saga of obsession, sacrifice, and honor.
