Padmavati to release on Jan 25; Rajasthan govt says won't allow it

The storm surrounding Padmavati, now Padmavat has refused to die down even after the announcement of its release date.The Rajasthan government on Monday said that it will not allow the Deepika Padukone starrer for release in the state though the name had been changed from 'Padmavati'.

Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said that the state govt will not allow the release of Padmavat in the state.The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in power in Rajasthan, does not want to be seen as going against the prevailing sentiment, i.e., against the release of the film.

Several crucial by-elections, including that of Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha constituencies, are to be held shortly in Rajasthan. After facing several roadblocks, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's controversial film has been retitled to "Padmavat", seems set for a January 25 release, sources in Viacom18 Motion Pictures said on Monday.

The film, mired in controversy over its plot line, has been given the go-ahead by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which has asked the makers to change the title and suggested some other modifications. The film was earlier scheduled to be released on December Though Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Sanjay Leela Bhansali have not released an official statement yet, sources in the production house confirmed that the film will release on January 25, a day before Republic Day. "The film is releasing on January 25. There is no clarity when the official statement will be out regarding this," sources in the Viacom18 Motion Pictures told PTI.