Padmaavat: Swara disagrees with the glorification of Jauhar, writes an open letter

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus ‘Padmaavat’ has released and has left everyone in awe it, especially the principal cast’s performance. The audience, critics, and even the film fraternity is singing praises for the movie. But, there is someone in Bollywood who is not impressed. And it is none other Swara Bhasker who has written an open letter to Bhansali, stating politely, the points she didn’t like, being a 21st century woman.

Image Source - YouTube

The actress believes the film has brought up the question that if a woman has beenwidowed, raped, young, old, pregnant, pre-pubescent, has she lost right to live. She has written an open letter which has been published in The Wire. First, she has praised the filmmaker and has also supported him in his battle against those who threatened to ban this film. But, somewhere she didn’t relate to the climax scene of this epic period drama where Rani Padmavati (played by Deepika Padukone) had committed Jauhar to protect her honour from Sultan Alauddin Khilji (played by Ranveer Singh). She pointed out her offence on it. Her letter states, “Women have the right to live, despite being raped sir. Women have the right to live, despite the death of their husbands, male ‘protectors’, ‘owners’, ‘controllers of their sexuality’.. whatever you understand the men to be.” (Also Read: Padmaavat rakes in BIG NUMBERS on its first Saturday)

“Women have the right to live — independent of whether men are living or not. Women have the right to live. Period. Women are not only walking talking vaginas.”

Further, it stated, “Yes, women have vaginas, but they have more to them as well. So their whole life need not be focused on the vagina, and controlling it, protecting it, maintaining its purity. (Maybe in the 13th century that was the case, but in the 21st century we do not need to subscribe to these limiting ideas. We certainly do not need to glorify them). It would be nice if the vaginas are respected; but in the unfortunate case that they are not, a woman can continue to live. She need not be punished with death, because another person disrespected her vagina without her consent. There is life outside the vagina, and so there can be life after rape… In general, there is more to life than the vagina.”

Image Source - YouTube

Swara has indeed put forward her points in a subtle way.

Not many would be aware that Swara has worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in his directorial ‘Guzaarish’ where she had played a small role.

However, how will the makers and the cast of this film will react over this open letter is something that is still awaited.

Let’s wait for more updates on it.

Amod Pandit

Quiet, resonant, and creative, he can be seen immersed in his own world, and puts in his heart and soul into the one passion that he has, Bollywood. His line for survival? Feel happy to be a part of it.