Karni Sena vows to stop 'Padmaavat' screening 'at any cost'

Shri Rajput Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi on Monday said he would not allow Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmaavat" to be released "at any cost". He warned that if cinema halls went ahead with the 25 January release it would lead to an "enormous outburst of people".

He also urged other state governments that want a ban to come together to approach the Supreme Court.

Speaking to IANS, Kalvi said: "We will not allow the film to be released at any cost. The Supreme Court has directed the state governments to ensure release of the film, but not to us (Karni Sena).

"Once the film is released, the outburst of people will be enormous and cinema halls will be responsible for the cost.

"I request other state governments who had earlier declared they would ban the film to come forward and file a petition in the Supreme Court to stop the release of the film."

Kalvi's comments come as the apex court is to hear on Tuesday a plea by the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments seeking to block the release of "Padmaavat".

The counsels for the two states on Monday mentioned the matter for urgent hearing seeking modification/clarification of the court's 18 January order that stayed notification/orders of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana government banning the release of the film in the three states.

The court had directed that no state government would issue an order that might come in the way of the release of "Padmaavat" on 25 January.

The Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments have moved the apex court taking the support of the Cinematograph Act where movie screening can be stopped on grounds of law and order in the state.