Padmavati row: Will watch film no matter when it is released, says Anurag Basu

Director Anurag Basu, who finds it bizarre that the whole controversy around Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati is based merely on perception and assumption, says he will watch the period drama whenever it is released.

Basu was at an event where he met 40 children, who are fighting cancer, from the Tata Memorial Centre. He was asked to comment on the Padmavati controversy.

"I think this is bizarre and funny," the director said. "When the first time the attack [on the film crew and sets] happened, the first thing that came to mind was 'Do they know the script? Have they read it?' The entire controversy is based on perception and assumption and what could be more funny than this? The whole thing is based on 'maybe' and I find it really bizarre. How can they create such a ruckus on a 'maybe'?"

Basu believes it is a "win-win for everybody" as "all of them are getting the benefit of the controversy".

"I don't think Sanjay Leela Bhansali should be worried because his film is delayed, as he has many fans, like myself, who will watch the film no matter when it is released," he said.

Known for films like Gangster (2006), Life In A... Metro (2007), and Barfi! (2012), Basu is currently working on a few projects simultaneously. "I will announce the schedule very soon as to when which project will come out," he said.

On the trend of biopics, he said: "It's a good thing that people are getting inspired by biographies. Nowadays, people don't read, so all they grasp about life is from films."

Basu's last film as writer and director was Jagga Jasoos (2017) starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.