Protests Erupt In Rajasthan Against Film ‘Panipat’; Jat Ruler Surajmal’s Descendent Seeks Ban Due To ‘Wrong Portrayal’

People in Rajasthan have protested against Panipat, the film which was released on Friday (6 December), alleging distortion of history. They have claimed the movie portrays Maharaja Surajmal in the wrong light. He is shown as a greedy ruler which he never was.

As per the film, Maratha warrior Sadashiv Rao Bhau (a character played by Arjun Kapoor) asked Maharaja Surajmal for help to defeat the Afghans, but he demanded the Agra Fort in return. As his demand remained unfulfilled, he refused to help Sadashiv.

They are also protesting against the use of Rajasthani and Haryanvi in the film, saying they speak Braj language (western Hindi language).

Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal in his tweet has requested the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to look into it. "I request #CBFC @PrakashJavdekar @prasoonjoshi_ to look into the matter #panipatmovie to avoid protest, law & order problem. No film or art can misreport history," he said.

State Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh, who is a direct descendant of Surajmal, said: "It is unfortunate that the legendary Jat ruler, Maharaja Surajmal has been depicted in an unseemly light and historical facts have been distorted in the film, Panipat".

"In light of the vociferous protest by the Jat community in Haryana, Rajasthan and other regions of North India, I believe that the film should be banned to avoid a law and order situation," he said after watching the film.

"As a direct descendant of Maharaja Surajmal, being the 14th generation of the Maharaja's line, I would like to clarify that it is historical fact that when the Maratha's returned from the Battle of Panipat, in defeat and anguish, burdened with their wounds, it was the benevolence of Maharajah Surajmal and Maharani Kishori that they sheltered the entire Maratha army, the minister said.

Meanwhile, Twitter is going berserk with Rajasthan locals protesting the representation of wrong facts in the film.

Jat leader Nem Singh Faujdaar on Saturday burnt an effigy of film director Aashutosh Gavarikar at the Surajmal Square on Saturday amid presence of hundreds of people who raised slogans against him.

Maharaj Surajmal had been portrayed as a greedy ruler, which we couldn't tolerate, he said.

Historian Ramveer Sharma, who has written many books, said Agra was already under king Surajmal and what had been showed in the movie was wrong. "Maharaj Surajmal went to the Maratha camp and saved many women and children who were taken to Gwalior and Deeg forts," he said.

Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Saturday tweeted displeasure over misrepresentation on facts. "The wrong picturisation of a king who was full of self-respect, honest and courteous is condemnable," she tweeted.

(With inputs from IANS)