Pakistan clears way for Padmaavat release, censor board gives green signal

New Delhi: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama Padmaavat has hit the screens today across the country. Despite Supreme Court orders on the smooth release of the film, several cinema halls have not screened the film owing to massive violence by fringe groups reportedly.

The film which faced controversies ever since its inception is receiving rave reviews for powerful performances enacted by the lead actors—Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor.

Now, the film has been cleared for release in Pakistan, a censor board official told IANS.

“Padmaavat has been declared fit for public exhibition in the cinema houses without any excision by Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC)," Mobashir Hasan told IANS via social media from Islamabad.

Also Read: Padmaavat movie review: You will hate 'Khilji' Ranveer Singh and that's his biggest win

The film has been given a 'U' certification. According to some distributors in Pakistan, there were apprehensions over the movie given the negative portrayal of Alauddin Khilji. Hasan has been quoted as saying, "CBFC isn't biased in arts, creativity and healthy entertainment."

He said that for the film's certification, the CBFC co-opted Professor Waqar Ali Shah, Chairman, Department of History, Quaid-e-Azam University as per rules.

"A co-opted member has no voting rights. They are for expert opinion," Hasan explained.

Padmaavat is facing violent protests even on the release day where several members of the fringe group Shri Karni Sena have created a ruckus on roads, attacked school bus in Gurugram—resulting in some cinema halls not screening the film.

Meanwhile, the Hindi film industry has shown solidarity and backed the filmmaker for braving all odds to let his venture see the light of the day.