Padmaavat: No shows in Aurangabad today, fate on weekends unpredictable

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat hasn’t opened yet in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh due to the ongoing violence by fringe Rajput groups. The film hasn’t got a complete green signal for screening in Aurangabad city of Maharashtra.

A bastion of the Rajput Karni Sena had disrupted the Aurangabad International Film Festival (AIFF) last week at Prozone Inox and demanded a ban on the film. Following this, it was decided not to run any shows today.

Kapil Hirvade, manager of Prozone Inox said, “The shows were scheduled earlier. But they were cancelled after the meeting between the multiplex associations and the police.”

Although there are shows scheduled tomorrow, the film’s fate on the following days still hangs. “There are shows tomorrow. But haven’t started the bookings for Friday (26 January) yet. We will see how the situation turns out to be tomorrow,” he added.

While talking to The Indian Express, an official from the DGP's office also identified Aurangabad as a sensitive area. “Earlier this week, we had information that members of the fringe groups held a meeting to protest the release of the movie. Glimpses of it was witnessed in Navi Mumbai on Monday. Also, Aurangabad is a sensitive district with a sizeable presence of Rajput groups, that can create law and order problems (sic),” he said.