Padmavati (film)
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''Padmaavat'' is a 2018
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
n
Hindi-language Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of the Government of India, alongside English, and is the ''lin ...
historical drama film A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction such as c ...
directed by
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela Bhansali (born 24 February 1963) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and music composer, who works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including seven National Film Awards and twelve Filmf ...
. Based on the
epic poem In poetry, an epic is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. With regard to ...
of the same name by
Malik Muhammad Jayasi Malik Muhammad Jayasi (1477– 1542) was an Indian Sufi poet and pir. He wrote in the Awadhi language, and in the Persian Nastaʿlīq script. His best known work is the epic poem ''Padmavat'' (1540). Biography Much of the information about ...
, it stars
Deepika Padukone Deepika Padukone (; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Hindi films. She is India's highest-paid actress, as of 2023, and List of awards and nominations received by Deepika Padukone, her accolades include thre ...
as Rani Padmavati, a Sinhalese-born
Rajput Rājpūt (, from Sanskrit ''rājaputra'' meaning "son of a king"), also called Thākur (), is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating fro ...
queen known for her beauty, wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh, played by
Shahid Kapoor Shahid Kapoor (; born 25 February 1981) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. Initially recognised for portraying romantic roles, he has since taken on parts in action films and thrillers, and is the recipient of List of awards and n ...
. Sultan Alauddin Khilji, played by
Ranveer Singh Ranveer Singh Bhavnani (; born 6 July 1985) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Ranveer Singh, several awards, including five Filmfare Awards. He is among the highest- ...
, hears of her beauty and attacks her kingdom to enslave her.
Aditi Rao Hydari Aditi Rao Hydari (born 28 October 1986) is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi cinema, Hindi, Tamil cinema, Tamil, and Telugu cinema, Telugu films. Born into the Tyabji family, Tyabji–Hydari family, she made her acting debut with the Mal ...
,
Jim Sarbh Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian actor known for his work in films and stage productions. He has received several awards including a Filmfare OTT Award, and an IIFA Award with a nomination for an International Emmy Award. Addition ...
,
Raza Murad Raza Murad (born 23 November 1950) is an Indian actor who primarily appears in Hindi films. He has acted in over 250 Hindi films and has also appeared in Bhojpuri, Punjabi and other languages and on Hindi television. Early life He is the so ...
, and
Anupriya Goenka Anupriya Goenka (born 29 May 1987) is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She first shot to fame in 2013 as the face of UPA government's '' Bharat Nirman''. Goenka made her on-screen debut with the 2013 Telugu fi ...
featured in supporting roles. With a production budget of –, ''Padmaavat'' is one of the most expensive Indian films ever made. Initially scheduled for release on 1 December 2017, the film faced numerous controversies. Amid violent protests, its release was indefinitely delayed. The
Central Board of Film Certification The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory Motion picture content rating system, film-certification body in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of ...
later approved the film with few changes, which includes the addition of multiple disclaimers and a change from its original title ''Padmavati''. It was rescheduled for release on 25 January 2018 in 2D, 3D and
IMAX 3D IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating, with ...
formats, making it the first Indian film to be released in IMAX 3D. Upon release, ''Padmaavat'' received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise for the visuals, costume design, cinematography, screenplay, soundtrack, and performances, but criticism for its pacing, runtime, and adherence to regressive patriarchal mores. Critics also disliked the portrayal of Khilji as a stereotypical evil Muslim king and Ratan Singh as the righteous Hindu king, which led to protests by the respective
religious communities Religious community may refer to: * Church (congregation), a religious organization or congregation that meets in a particular location * Confessional community, a group of people with similar religious beliefs * Institute of consecrated life, a C ...
. Despite not being released in some states of India, it grossed over at the box office, becoming a major commercial success and the third highest-grossing Indian film of 2018. At the
64th Filmfare Awards The 64th Filmfare Awards ceremony, presented by The Times Group, honored the best Indian Hindi-language films of 2018. The ceremony was held on 23 March 2019 in Mumbai. '' Padmaavat'' led the ceremony with 18 nominations, followed by '' Raazi ...
, ''Padmaavat'' received a leading 18 nominations, including
Best Film The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...
,
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...
(both for Bhansali),
Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress award ...
(Padukone) and Best Actor (Singh), and won 4 awards, including Best Actor (Critics) (Singh) and Best Music Director (Bhansali). It also won 3
National Film Awards The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
, including Best Music Direction (Bhansali).


Plot

In 13th-century
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
,
Khilji The Khalji or Khilji dynasty was a Turco-Afghan dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate for three decades between 1290 and 1320. It was the second dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate which covered large swaths of the Indian subcontinent.
ruler, Jalal-ud-din Khilji plans to take over the throne of Delhi. His nephew
Alauddin Khilji Alauddin Khalji (; ), born Ali Gurshasp, was a ruler from the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrative changes in the Delhi Sultanate, related to revenue ...
asks for Jalaluddin's daughter Mehrunisa's hand in marriage. Their wedding is organised, but on the night of the event, Alauddin engages in
adultery Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept ...
with another woman. A senior courtier witnesses the act, Shareef Pasha, and is promptly killed by Alauddin. Mehrunisa is informed of this during the wedding, leaving her horrified. The wedding occurs, and Alauddin is appointed as a lead general in Jalalauddin's army. In Singhal, princess Padmavati accidentally wounds the Rajputi ruler of
Mewar Mewar, also spelled as Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasth ...
, Maharawal Ratan Singh, while hunting in a forest. As she treats him, he reveals that he has traveled to Sinhala to acquire rare pearls for his only wife
Nagmati Nagmati was, according to legend, the first wife and chief queen of King Ratan Sen (identified with Ratnasimha), the Rajput ruler of Medapata (present-day Mewar). Nagmati plays an important role in Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem ''Padmavat''. ...
. Eventually, the two bond and fall in love. Ratan Singh asks for Padmavati's hand in marriage, she agrees, and with permission from her father, they are married. Jalaluddin takes over the throne of Delhi and sends Alauddin to repel a
Mongol invasion The Mongol invasions and conquests took place during the 13th and 14th centuries, creating history's largest contiguous empire, the Mongol Empire (1206–1368), which by 1260 covered large parts of Eurasia. Historians regard the Mongol devastati ...
. Alauddin is successful in doing so, but undertakes an unsanctioned raid on Devagiri. He captures the princess there, and makes her his
concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...
. Jalaluddin's wife and nephew, Itaat Khan, warns him against Alauddin's ambition to take over the throne. However, he journeys to
Kara Kara or KARA may refer to: Geography Localities * Kara, Chad, a sub-prefecture * Kára, Hungary, a village * Kara, Uttar Pradesh, India, a township * Kara, Iran, a village in Lorestan Province * Kara, Republic of Dagestan, a rural locality in ...
to meet Alauddin and gifts him the slave
Malik Kafur Malik Kafur (died February 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan Jalesari, Nusrat Khan during the Alauddin Khalji's co ...
. Alauddin has Jalalauddin's ministers assassinated by
Malik Kafur Malik Kafur (died February 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan Jalesari, Nusrat Khan during the Alauddin Khalji's co ...
, and Jalalauddin is killed by one of Alauddin's generals. Alauddin then returned to Delhi and declared himself the new
Sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
. Over time, Alauddin and Kafur become very close, and Kafur rises to become a general in Alauddin's army. Padmavati journeys to
Mewar Mewar, also spelled as Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasth ...
with Ratan Singh and is blessed by his royal priest, Raghav Chetan. Chetan later intrudes into the palace secretly and spies upon an intimate moment between Ratan and Padmavati, and is subsequently banished. He then travels to
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
and informs Alauddin of Padmavati's beauty. Alauddin, who is fixated with having anything that is exceptional, invites the Rajputs to Delhi, but his invitation is rejected. Enraged, he lays siege to Ratan Singh's capital
Chittor Chittorgarh (; also Chitror or Chittor or Chittaurgarh) is a major city in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgarh District. It wa ...
. After six months of an unsuccessful siege, Alauddin feigns peace on account of
Holi Holi () is a major Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love and Spring.The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...".Yudit Greenberg, Encyclopedia of Love in World ...
and is allowed to enter Chittor, where he meets Ratan Singh. He asks to see Padmavati; Ratan Singh grants this request, but only momentarily while preventing Alauddin from seeing her face. Ratan Singh is tricked by Khilji and is taken to Delhi as a prisoner. Upon Queen Nagmati's insistence, Padmavati agrees to see Alauddin under some conditions: she will meet Ratan first, there would be no male guardians during their meet and Chetan will be executed for his earlier treachery. Alauddin agrees; Padmavati then travels to Delhi to meet him. Meanwhile, Alauddin survives an assassination plot by his nephew, though he is wounded. When his nephew visits him recovering in bed to finish him off, Alauddin awakens and kills him. The Rajputs, disguised in women's dress, plan to ambush the Khilji soldiers in the morning, at the time for morning '' namāz''. Padmavati, along with Chittor's generals, Gora and Badal, frees Ratan Singh, and escapes with Mehrunisa's help. Ratan confronts Alauddin, who urges Ratan to take this opportunity to kill him in his weakened state. However, Ratan refuses as this is against the Rajput creed of not attacking the wounded. The Rajput ambush goes ahead as planned, but the Khilji soldiers are alerted to it and repulse the attack, killing the Rajputs who allow the King and Queen to escape. Alauddin imprisons Mehrunisa for helping the Rajputs and marches to Chittor. He and Ratan Singh engage in a single duel; Alauddin is wounded and drops his sword, Ratan is about to kill him when Kafur takes the opportunity to mortally wound Ratan while his back is turned with arrows. While dying, he berates Alauddin and his forces for fighting dishonorably. As Alauddin's army conquers Chittor, the Rajput women, led by Padmavati, commit ''
Jauhar Jauhar, sometimes spelled Jowhar or Juhar, was a Hindu Rajput practice of mass self-immolation by women and girls in the Indian subcontinent to avoid capture, sex slavery, enslavement, and rape when facing certain defeat during a war. Some repo ...
'' (mass suicide by immolation) to protect their honor and dignity from the invading army. The film concludes with Padmavati entering the fire with a faint smile, indicating her collective bravery, indomitable spirit and defiance against Alauddin, leaving him furious. Although Alauddin wins the battle, he is ultimately defeated in his pursuit of Padmavati.


Cast


Production


Development

An adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic ''Padmavat'' (1540), Sanjay Leela Bhansali had been planning a film adaptation for a decade. He first worked on a television adaptation as an assistant editor for
Shyam Benegal Shyam Benegal (14 December 1934 – 23 December 2024) was an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. H ...
's television series ''
Bharat Ek Khoj ''Bharat Ek Khoj'' () is a 53-episode Indian historical drama based on the book '' The Discovery of India'' (1946) by Jawaharlal Nehru that covers a 5,000-year history of the Indian subcontinent from its beginnings to independence from the Brit ...
'' (1988), based on
Jawaharlal Nehru Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat, and statesman who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was a pr ...
's ''
The Discovery of India ''The Discovery of India'' was written by the Indian freedom fighter Jawaharlal Nehru (later India's first Prime Minister) during his incarceration in 1942–1945 at Ahmednagar Fort in present-day Indian state of Maharashtra by British colonia ...
'' (1946), featuring an episode about ''Padmaavat'' starring
Om Puri Om Prakash Puri, (18 October 1950 – 6 January 2017) was an Indian actor who appeared in mainstream commercial Hindi films as well as Urdu, Malayalam, Bengali, Kannada, English, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, and Marathi films, as well as ind ...
as Alauddin Khilji. In 2008, Bhansali produced an opera version in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, inspiring him to begin work on a film version. ''Padmaavat'' also took inspiration from other earlier adaptations of the epic, including Bengali literary adaptations from
Kshirode Prasad Vidyavinode Kshirode Prasad Vidyavinode ( ''Kṣīrōda prasāda bidyābhinōḍa'') (12 April 1863 – 4 July 1927), born ''Kshirode Chandra Bhattacharya'' was a Bengali Indian poet, novelist, dramatist and nationalist. Early life and education He was bo ...
in 1906 and
Abanindranath Tagore Abanindranath Tagore (Bengali language, Bengali: অবনীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 August 1871 – 5 December 1951) was an Indian painter who was the principal artist and creator of the Indian Society of Oriental Art in ...
in 1909, the
Tamil film Tamil cinema is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Tamil language, the main spoken language in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is nicknamed Kollywood, a portmanteau of the names Kodambakkam, a Chen ...
''
Chittoor Rani Padmini () is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language historical drama film written by C. V. Sridhar and Elangovan, and directed by Ch. Narayana Murthy. It is based on the legend of Rani Padmini. The film starred Sivaji Ganesan as Rana Ratan Singh and Vyjayanth ...
'' (1963), and the
Hindi film Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and " Hollywood". The industry, producing films in t ...
''Maharani Padmini'' (1964). Pre-production on the film began in July 2016. That same month, playback singer
Shreya Ghoshal Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
tweeted about performing a song composed by Bhansali for the film. Many media outlets speculated that Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, who played the leads in Bhansali's ''
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela ''Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela'' (), also simply known as ''Ram-Leela'', is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language romantic tragedy film written and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who also composed its original soundtrack. The film was jointly pr ...
'' (2013) and ''
Bajirao Mastani ''Bajirao Mastani'' is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language Epic film, epic historical film, historical tragedy film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who co-produced it with Eros International and composed its Bajirao Mastani (soundtrack), soundtrack ...
'' (2015), were finalised to play Rani Padmavati and
Alauddin Khilji Alauddin Khalji (; ), born Ali Gurshasp, was a ruler from the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrative changes in the Delhi Sultanate, related to revenue ...
in the film. In October 2016, it was announced that Bhansali would team up with
Viacom 18 Motion Pictures Viacom18 Studios is an Indian film distribution and production company. It is a subsidiary of JioStar, a joint venture between Reliance Industries, Viacom18 and Disney India. Based in Mumbai, It is one of the first studio model based motion pic ...
to produce the film with Singh and Padukone along with
Shahid Kapoor Shahid Kapoor (; born 25 February 1981) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. Initially recognised for portraying romantic roles, he has since taken on parts in action films and thrillers, and is the recipient of List of awards and n ...
as
Rawal Ratan Singh Ratnasimha (IAST: Ratna-Siṃha, r. c. 1302–03 CE) was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mewar in present-day Rajasthan, India. He belonged to the Rawal branch of the Guhila dynasty, which ruled from the Chitrakuta fort (modern Chittorgarh). The last ...
, playing the lead roles.


Casting

''Padmaavat'' is the third collaboration between
Deepika Padukone Deepika Padukone (; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Hindi films. She is India's highest-paid actress, as of 2023, and List of awards and nominations received by Deepika Padukone, her accolades include thre ...
and
Ranveer Singh Ranveer Singh Bhavnani (; born 6 July 1985) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Ranveer Singh, several awards, including five Filmfare Awards. He is among the highest- ...
with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The trio had worked before in ''
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela ''Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela'' (), also simply known as ''Ram-Leela'', is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language romantic tragedy film written and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who also composed its original soundtrack. The film was jointly pr ...
'' (2013) and ''
Bajirao Mastani ''Bajirao Mastani'' is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language Epic film, epic historical film, historical tragedy film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who co-produced it with Eros International and composed its Bajirao Mastani (soundtrack), soundtrack ...
'' (2015), while it is Kapoor's first film with the three. Their co-star from the previous films,
Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra Jonas (; born 18 July 1982) is an Indian actress and producer. The winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, Chopra is India's highest-paid actress and has received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awards and fiv ...
was also in consideration to play the title role.
Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi cinema. Referred to in the media as the "Padishah, Baadshah of Bollywood" and "King Khan", he has Shah Rukh K ...
was offered the role of Rawal Ratan Singh but felt it was not "meaty" enough and declined; failure to agree on his fee may have been a factor. Bhansali offered the role to
Sushant Singh Rajput Sushant Singh Rajput (21 January 1986 – 14 June 2020) was an Indian actor best known for his work in Hindi cinema. He earned acclaim for his performances in several notable films, including ''Kai Po Che!'' (2013), ''Detective Byomkesh Bakshy ...
, but he had to turn down the role over scheduling issues. Shahid Kapoor was finally cast with an assurance of a good enough part and a hefty fee. For his role, Kapoor undertook rigorous training under trainer Samir Jaura and followed a strict diet for 40 days. He also learnt sword fighting and the basics of
Mardani khel Mardani Khel and Bothati are armed Indian martial arts from Maharashtra. They are particularly known for their use of the uniquely Indian pata (sword), patta (sword) and ''vita'' (corded lance). The early history of Bothati as a distinct system is ...
, a weapon-based martial art, and admitted that it had been one of the most physically and emotionally challenging roles of his career. Ranveer Singh portrays the antagonist of the film, Alauddin Khilji, the first negative role of his career. Director Bhansali had given him books to read delving into the psyche of dark rulers of history such as
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
, asserting that he had to completely forget who he was before he could play Khilji. Singh trained under Mustafa Ahmed to get into proper shape for the role. The actor worked out twice a day for six days a week. Playing Khilji affected Singh's personality and behaviour such that he had to see a psychiatrist to return to normal.
Jaya Bachchan Jaya Bachchan (''née'' Bhaduri; born 9 April 1948) is an Indian actress and politician. She is regarded as one of the greatest actresses of Hindi cinema. She is serving as member of the parliament in the Rajya Sabha from the Samajwadi Party ...
recommended
Aditi Rao Hydari Aditi Rao Hydari (born 28 October 1986) is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi cinema, Hindi, Tamil cinema, Tamil, and Telugu cinema, Telugu films. Born into the Tyabji family, Tyabji–Hydari family, she made her acting debut with the Mal ...
's name to Bhansali for the role of Khilji's first wife, Mehrunisa. Bhansali cast Hydari over four other choices. She is the only member of the star cast who actually belongs to a royal lineage.
Raza Murad Raza Murad (born 23 November 1950) is an Indian actor who primarily appears in Hindi films. He has acted in over 250 Hindi films and has also appeared in Bhojpuri, Punjabi and other languages and on Hindi television. Early life He is the so ...
portrays Alauddin's paternal uncle and Khilji dynasty founder, Sultan Jalaluddin Khilji. Murad has earlier collaborated with Bhansali in ''Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela'' and ''Bajirao Mastani''.
Jim Sarbh Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian actor known for his work in films and stage productions. He has received several awards including a Filmfare OTT Award, and an IIFA Award with a nomination for an International Emmy Award. Addition ...
portrays
Malik Kafur Malik Kafur (died February 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan Jalesari, Nusrat Khan during the Alauddin Khalji's co ...
, a prominent eunuch slave-general of Alauddin Khilji. Sarbh learned horse-riding for the role. On 25 October 2017, a video of the first song from the film, titled "
Ghoomar Ghoomar or ghumar is a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan. It was the Bhil tribe who performed it to worship Goddess Saraswati which was later embraced by Rajputs. The dance is chiefly performed by veiled women who wear flowing dresses called ...
", was released, in which a woman dressed like a queen appeared briefly. It was later revealed in a
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
fan page of Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions, that the woman is Maharawal Ratan Singh's first wife, Rani
Nagmati Nagmati was, according to legend, the first wife and chief queen of King Ratan Sen (identified with Ratnasimha), the Rajput ruler of Medapata (present-day Mewar). Nagmati plays an important role in Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem ''Padmavat''. ...
, who is portrayed by
Anupriya Goenka Anupriya Goenka (born 29 May 1987) is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She first shot to fame in 2013 as the face of UPA government's '' Bharat Nirman''. Goenka made her on-screen debut with the 2013 Telugu fi ...
.


Budget

Due to the costs mounted on the film by delay in the release,
Box Office India Box Office India is an Indian film website dedicated to tracking, reporting, and analyzing the financial performance of films released in the Hindi entertainment industry. Established in 2003, Box Office India has become a prominent source of ...
declared the film's budget to be , which makes it the most expensive Hindi film and one of the most expensive Indian films ever made.


Costumes

Delhi-based Rimple and Harpreet Narula designed Rani Padmavati's costume using traditional
Gota Gota or Gøta or Göta may refer to: People *Gotabaya Rajapaksa (born 1949), 8th President of Sri Lanka *, Japanese freestyle skier *Gota Yashiki (born 1962), both an independent acid jazz artist and drum/bass player, as a member of the band S ...
embroidery work of Rajasthan. The border derives from the architectural details of Rajasthani palace windows and jharokhas and the odhnis have been styled in conventional ways which are still prevalent in the Mewar belt of
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
. The designer duo elaborated that the costume worn by Padukone in the final scene of the film features the tree-of-life motif and twisted 
gota Gota or Gøta or Göta may refer to: People *Gotabaya Rajapaksa (born 1949), 8th President of Sri Lanka *, Japanese freestyle skier *Gota Yashiki (born 1962), both an independent acid jazz artist and drum/bass player, as a member of the band S ...
 embroidery and has a Kota dupatta with
block printing Woodblock printing or block printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later on paper. Each page or image is creat ...
. Padukone's dresses were made with Sinhalese influences, as the character of Padmavati hailed from
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
. The costumes for Shahid Kapoor were made from
mulmul Muslin () is a cotton fabric of plain weave. It is made in a wide range of weights from delicate sheers to coarse sheeting. It is commonly believed that it gets its name from the city of Mosul, Iraq. Muslin was produced in different regions of ...
and cotton, with special attention given to the
turban A turban (from Persian language, Persian دولبند‌, ''dolband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Commun ...
s, one of which, featuring a 28-dye lehariya, was inspired by a turban to be found at the
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. The clothes for Ranveer Singh were based on travellers' accounts of the
Turko-Persian The composite Turko-Persian, Turco-Persian,
''Turko-Persia in historical perspective'', Cambridge University Press, ...
influence on Indian clothing (Khilji was of
Turko-Afghan In the historiography of the Indian subcontinent, the term Turco-Afghan refers to the successive Islamic dynasties of the Ghaznavids, and the Delhi Sultanate, all of which had their origin in Turkic peoples from Central Asia Central Asia is a ...
heritage). The costumes for Aditi Rao Hydari, who plays Khilji's first wife Mehrunisa, incorporated Turkish,
Afghan Afghan or Afgan may refer to: Related to Afghanistan *Afghans, historically refers to the Pashtun people. It is both an ethnicity and nationality. Ethnicity wise, it refers to the Pashtuns. In modern terms, it means both the citizens of Afghanist ...
,
Mongol Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of M ...
and Ottoman elements to showcase Mehrunisa's Turkic origins. For both Singh and Hydari's costumes, extensive research was done on the clothing and textiles of the Turkish belt, from
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
and
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ; , ; abbr. KP or KPK), formerly known as the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Northern Pakistan, northwestern region of the country, Khyber ...
to
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
and to the
Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...
n belt around
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. Padukone's look for the "Ghoomar" song features intricate jewellery weighing up to designed by
Tanishq Tanishq is an Indian jewellery brand owned by Titan Company. Founded in 1994, it is based in Bengaluru. As of 2023, it has more than 400 retail stores across India, the UAE, the US, Singapore and Qatar. History By the end of the 1980s, Tita ...
featuring a triple Borla, Mathapatti and Bajuband which are traditional ornaments worn by Rajasthani women. Vipul Amar and Harsheen Arora of Delhi-based design house 'The V Renaissance' designed costumes for Rawal Ratan Singh and Alauddin Khilji, employing historical techniques to create the armour such as
cuirboilli Boiled leather, often referred to by its French translation, cuir bouilli (), was a historical material common in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period and used for various purposes. It was leather that had been treated so that it became tough a ...
, sculpting, chiselling, and inlaying. The armour took a team of forty workers a total of eight months to prepare.


Music

The
score SCORE may refer to: *SCORE (software), a music scorewriter program * SCORE (television), a weekend sports service of the defunct Financial News Network *SCORE! Educational Centers *SCORE International, an offroad racing organization *Sarawak Corrido ...
of ''Padmaavat'' is composed by
Sanchit Balhara Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara are an Indian film score composer duo. Sanchit Balhara started his career as a solo composer and became best known for composing the score of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2015 epic historical romance film, ''Bajirao ...
, while the songs are composed by
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela Bhansali (born 24 February 1963) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and music composer, who works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including seven National Film Awards and twelve Filmf ...
. A. M. Turaz and Siddharth-Garima wrote the lyrics to the songs. The first song "
Ghoomar Ghoomar or ghumar is a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan. It was the Bhil tribe who performed it to worship Goddess Saraswati which was later embraced by Rajputs. The dance is chiefly performed by veiled women who wear flowing dresses called ...
", to which Padukone performs the traditional Rajasthani folk dance on a set that replicates the interior of Chittorgarh Fort, was released on 26 October 2017. The second song from the film "Ek Dil Ek Jaan", a love ballad featuring Padukone and Kapoor, was released on 19 November. The complete soundtrack was released by the record label
T-Series T series or T-Series may refer to: Technology * Apple T series, a family of processors * Canon T series, a line of single lens reflex cameras * Juniper T series, a core router * Sony Ericsson T series, a series of cell phones * SPARC T series, ...
on 6 January 2018 in Hindi, and 12 January in Tamil and Telugu.


Controversies

''Padmaavat'' was mired in controversies during its production. Several
Rajput Rājpūt (, from Sanskrit ''rājaputra'' meaning "son of a king"), also called Thākur (), is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating fro ...
caste organisations including
Shri Rajput Karni Sena Karni Sena (; Karaṇī sēnā), is an organisation based in Rajasthan, India. Founded by Lokendra Singh Kalvi and led by Raj Shekhawat, Mahipal Singh Makrana, Vishwabandhu Singh Rathore, and others, it takes its name from Karni Mata, who is b ...
and its members had protested and later vandalised the film sets claiming that the film portrays Padmavati, a Rajput queen, in bad light. They had also assaulted Bhansali on a film set. The Sena had made further threats of violence. While filming a scene in
Masai Plateau The Masai Plateau, also known as the Masai Pathar or Masai Sadas, is a plateau situated 30 kilometers west from Kolhapur city in Maharashtra. It is known for scenery and various types of seasonal wildflowers that bloom in the months of August a ...
,
Kolhapur Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Kolhapur is one of the most significant cities in South Maharashtra and has been a hub of historical, religious, and cultural a ...
at night in October 2017, some people attacked and set the set ablaze, injuring animals and destroying several costumes. Several Muslim leaders protested against the alleged misrepresentation of Alauddin Khilji and called for a ban. In the days leading up to the film's release, there were violent protests and riots in several parts of India. In
Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...
, the protestors had attacked several vehicles including a school bus. Bhansali and Deepika Padukone had received threats of violence and death. The film makers received support from the film community and industry associations including the Indian Film & Television Directors' Association, Cine & TV Artists Association, Western India Cinematographers' Association, Association of Cine & Television Art Directors & Costume Designers. Major political parties across India took conflicting stands. Several members and leaders of the
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. BJP emerged out from Syama Prasad Mukherjee's ...
called for a ban on the film. The Rajasthan State unit of the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
had also called for ban. The controversies surrounding the film re-opened the question of
film censorship in India This is a list of films that have been or are banned in India. This list includes titles that were refused a rating by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially or permanently. The list also includes films whose release or productio ...
and the country's freedom of expression. The
Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
dismissed a petition calling to stop the film's release citing the freedom of speech and expression. The film is banned in
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
by the Home Ministry due to its negative portrayal of a Muslim ruler and for touching sensitivities of Islam since Malaysia is predominantly a Muslim nation.


Release

The
digital streaming Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downl ...
rights of ''Padmaavat'' were sold to
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...
for 200–250 million in August 2017. Although it was reported theatrical distribution rights for all overseas territories were acquired by
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
from
Viacom18 Viacom18 Media Private Limited is an independent Indian media conglomerate, part of JioStar. It is owned by Reliance Industries and Bodhi Tree Systems. The Organisation had various channels and content production studios in India. Following ...
in October 2017, Paramount later clarified that they would release the film only in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. Prime Focus Limited rendered the film in 3D. The film was initially scheduled for theatrical release on 1 December 2017 in India, but was delayed due to protests. ''Padmavati'' was initially slated for release in the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
on 30 November 2017 and in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
on 1 December 2017, but the makers stated that the film would not be released in foreign territories before receiving a certificate from the
Central Board of Film Certification The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory Motion picture content rating system, film-certification body in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of ...
(CBFC). In the end of December, CBFC approved the film for theatrical exhibition and suggested 5 modifications to the film, which includes the addition of multiple disclaimers and amending its title to ''Padmaavat''. The change in the title was intended to be a disclaimer that the film is not a historical drama, but a cinematic adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem ''Padmavat''. The
British Board of Film Classification The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is a non-governmental organization, non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films exhibited ...
(BBFC) passed the film with a (12A) rating and zero cuts. Post the CBFC approval with U/A certification, the film got banned by the Chief Ministers of four states
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
,
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
,
Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...
and
Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...
in order to maintain 'law and order' and avert protests in their states. The
Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India is the supreme judiciary of India, judicial authority and the supreme court, highest court of the Republic of India. It is the final Appellate court, court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in India. It also ...
over-ruled the ban, stating that freedom of speech is to be maintained and that the states have to ensure the screening of the film without any issues. On 30 January 2018,
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
banned the film. ''Padmaavat'' premiered on television on 30 September 2018 on the Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC) Colors, Colors HD, and the Hindi movie channel Rishtey Cineplex. The film was dubbed and released in
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
,
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
and
Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
languages under the same title.


Reception


Critical response

.


India

''Padmaavat'' opened to mixed-to-positive critical reviews upon release. Critics praised the visuals, screenplay, cinematography, and the performance of Singh, but criticized its execution, running time and the "unwanted" 3D conversion. Following its controversies, the makers held a pre-screening of ''Padmaavat'' in November 2017 for some journalists, including
Arnab Goswami Arnab, Arnav or Arnov is a first name popular in India, and means "ocean" in Sanskrit. It also means "rabbit" in Arabic and Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic ...
and
Rajat Sharma Rajat Sharma (born 18 February 1957) is an Indian journalist and businessperson acting as the chairman and Editor-in-chief of India TV, an Indian news channel. He is most known as host of Indian television show ''Aap Ki Adalat'', which first a ...
, who praised the film and described it as "the greatest tribute to Rajput pride." Rajat Sharma particularly praised Singh's performance as Khilji.
Taran Adarsh Taran Adarsh (born 13 June 1965) is an Indian film critic and trade analyst. He is best known for giving trade figures and box office updates on social media, as well as his reviews for Bollywood Hungama. Career Taran Adarsh started his journ ...
of ''
Bollywood Hungama Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is an Indian entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000. The website provides n ...
'' gave 4.5 stars and said, "On the whole, ''Padmaavat'' is a remarkable motion picture experience that's backed by proficient direction, spellbinding screenwriting and superlative acting. For Bhansali, it's the best title on an impressive filmography." Neil Soans of ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...
'' gave 4 stars and said, "The director's expertise in heightening opulence and grandeur is well-known, further distinguishable in 3D. Cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee compliments him by beautifully capturing some jaw-dropping scenery." Rachit Gupta of ''
Filmfare ''Filmfare'' is an Indian English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of India's most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, reviews, events, ...
'' gave 3.5 stars and said, "the real wonder of ''Padmaavat'' comes from its production and presentation. This film has phenomenal production design, costumes and camera work. The technical finesse on display is just mind boggling."
Rajeev Masand Rajeev Masand (born 13 March 1976) is an Indian film critic and journalist. He has worked for Noida based English language news channel CNN-Indian Broadcasting Network (CNN-IBN). He usually reviews Bollywood films and major Hollywood films rel ...
of ''
News18 Network18 Media & Investments Limited, ( d/b/a Network18 Group) is an Indian media conglomerate owned by the Reliance Industries, headed by Mukesh Ambani. Rahul Joshi is the managing director, chief executive officer and group editor-in-chief ...
'' gave 3.5 stars, praising Singh's performance. Kunal Guha of ''
Mumbai Mirror The ''Mumbai Mirror'' is an Indian English-language newspaper published in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Launched in 2005 as a compact daily newspaper, its coverage focused on city specific local news and civic issues concerning education, healthcare an ...
'' gave 3.5 stars, but criticised Padukone and Kapoor's performances. Giving 3.5 stars, Sushant Mehta of ''
India Today ''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media, Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' laun ...
'' panned Padukone and Kapoor's performances, calling them "mediocre", while terming Singh's "unconvincing".
Anupama Chopra Anupama Vinod Chopra () is an Indian author, journalist and film critic who served as the festival director of the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image, MAMI Mumbai Film Festival from 2015 to 2023. She is also the founder and editor of the now-de ...
of ''
Film Companion Anupama Vinod Chopra () is an Indian author, journalist and film critic who served as the festival director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival from 2015 to 2023. She is also the founder and editor of the now-defunct digital platform Film Compani ...
'' gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and said, "I clinically admired each frame. I applauded the work of cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee, costume designers Harpreet-Rimple, Maxima Basu, Chandrakant & Ajay, and production designers Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray. But I wasn't seduced by the storytelling." Shubhra Gupta of ''
The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932 by P. Varadarajulu Naidu. It is headquartered in Noida, owned by the ''Indian Express Group''. It was later taken over by Ramnath Goenka. In 1999, eight y ...
'' gave 2.5 stars and said, "''Padmaavat'' is spectacular
o look O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), ...
no one can do spectacle like Bhansali. You can easily delight in it while the going is good. But nearly three hours of it, and looping rhetoric around what constitutes Rajput valour can, and does, become tiresome." Mayur Sanap of ''
Deccan Chronicle ''Deccan Chronicle'' is an English-language daily newspaper based in Hyderabad, India. Founded in 1938, it was initially launched as a Weekly newspaper, weekly and later converted into a daily. The newspaper's name reflects its origins in the ...
'' criticised the execution and the length and gave 2.5 stars. Suparna Sharma, also of ''Deccan Chronicle'' gave 2.5 stars and said, "''Padmaavat'' is offensively chauvinistic, blatantly right-wing, and quite unabashedly anti-Muslim". Raja Sen of ''
NDTV India NDTV India (styled as NDTV इंडिया) is an Indian Hindi-language news channel, owned by NDTV. The channel was launched on 15 April 2003, along with its English counterpart, NDTV 24×7, after the end of the partnership with Disney St ...
'' gave 1.5 stars and said, "Bhansali takes an unbearable length of time to spark the flame. Things go on and on and on, with characters it is impossible to care about. They may appear attractive from time to time, certainly, but these protagonists are inconsistent, infuriating and test the patience." ''
Rediff.com Rediff.com, stylized as rediff.com, is an Indian news, information, entertainment, and shopping website. Founded by Ajit Balakrishnan in 1996, it was the first Indian website to become a mainstream news media organization. It is headquartered i ...
'' also gave 1.5 stars calling it "superficial" and wrote, "Padukone gets an absolute raw deal as the Queen; her performance is submissively overwrought, blandly weighted, and her speeches combined with the leisureliness of the narrative's pacing, can put you in a stupor. Worst of all, you will be driven by the suspicion if Padukone even does enough to deserve the movie's title."
Namrata Joshi Namrata Joshi is an Indian film critic based in New Delhi. Originally working for ''Outlook'', she remained there from 1999 till 2015, when she joined ''The Hindu''. She won the National Film Award for Best Film Critic in 2004. Career Joshi i ...
of ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...
'' gave a negative review noting the film is "a yawn fest" and "an interminable expanse of unadulterated dullness." She also criticised the 3D conversion writing, "The opulence doesn't seem as awe-inspiring, the special effects, especially in some of the battle scenes, are plain tacky and the actors seem like cardboard dolls of themselves in the long shots, acquiring a human visage only in the extreme".
Anna M. M. Vetticad Anna Marie Mathew Vetticad is an Indian journalist, film critic, and cultural commentator. She has been in the field of journalism since 1994. Vetticad is known for her political critiques of Indian cinema and the Indian film industry. She is a ...
of ''
Firstpost Firstpost is an Indian news website owned by Network18 Group, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC TV18. It has posted misinformation on multiple occasions. The Network 18 group was originally owned by Raghav Bahl. In January 2012, the gro ...
'' criticised the film giving 1 star out of 5 writing "''Padmaavat'' is a perfect example of a Hindi film couching its extreme prejudices in grandiloquence and tacky clichés, with those clichés embedded in resplendent frames."


Overseas

Mike McCahill of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' gave 4 stars and said, "It's not just the extravagance that catches the eye, but the precision with which it is applied. Every twirl of every sari and every arrow in every battle appears to have been guided by the hands of angels. Such excess could have proved deadening, but dynamic deployment of old-school star power keeps almost all its scenes alive with internal tensions." Shilpa Jamkhandikar published a mixed review in ''
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...
'', who noted, "But unlike Bhansali's earlier films, where he was able to find emotional depth even in opulent historical romances, this one falls short." However, she praised Singh's performance as Khilji. Manjusha Radhakrishnan of ''Gulf News'' opined that the quality of the work was lower than that in other Bhansali films. Sadaf Haider of ''
DAWN Images ''Dawn'' is a Pakistani English-language newspaper that was launched in British India by Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1941. It is the largest English newspaper in Pakistan, and is widely considered the country's newspaper of record. ''Dawn'' is the f ...
'' said that the film is "a flawed history lesson", however, she praised the film visual, music and most of the act. Rahul Aijaz of ''
The Express Tribune ''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Lakson Group'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the '' Intern ...
'' rated 4.5 out of 5 stars; he too praised the film and said that it "doesn't set up false expectations and then disappoint" due to "perfect storytelling", and "memorable performances". A Pakistani critic, Haroon Khalid, had disliked the portrayal of Khilji as a stereotypical evil Muslim king and Ratan Singh as the righteous Hindu king.


Box office

Due to the numerous controversies associated with ''Padmaavat'' prior to its release which resulted in banning the film in certain states, the film's commercial performance was highly unpredictable. The film was released in only 70% of places in India. However, despite limited screenings, the film earned an estimated in Wednesday paid previews. The following day, the film opened nationwide across 4,800 screens of which over 500 screens were shown in Tamil and Telugu. It earned an estimated nett on its opening day in India, excluding previews, which was considered impressive despite its ban in numerous big states and marked a career-best opening for Kapoor, Singh and Bhansali, and fourth biggest for Padukone (behind ''
Happy New Year The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...
'', ''
Chennai Express ''Chennai Express'' is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by UTV Motion Pictures and Red Chillies Entertainment. It stars Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan and with Nikitin Dheer and Sath ...
'' and ''
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani ''Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani'' (), also abbreviated as ''YJHD'', is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age romantic comedy film directed by Ayan Mukerji, written by Mukerji and Hussain Dalal, and produced by Karan Johar under Dharma Produc ...
''). On Friday, the film added another , owing to national holiday on
Republic Day Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics. List January 1 January in Slovak Republic The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...
. This was followed by a gradual fall on Saturday taking in another . Through Sunday, the film delivered an opening weekend of and became the fourteenth film to enter the
100 crore club The 100 Crore Club is a colloquial term used in the Indian film industry to denote films that achieve significant box office success. In Hindi cinema, it refers to films that have a net domestic box office collection of ₹100 crore (1 billion ...
in just under 4 days. Furthermore, it broke the record for the biggest IMAX opening in India with US$461,000 from 12 screens. However, due to its limited screenings, the film nevertheless lost over in box office receipts during its opening weekend. Outside India, the film broke all-time opening day records in Australia (A$367,984), surpassing the likes of '' Dangal'' and the dubbed-Hindi version of '' Baahubali 2: The Conclusion''. One of the reason behind the film's successful run in the country was because Paramount (the overseas distributing company) was able to secure release in all three major theatre chains (
Hoyts The HOYTS Group of companies in Australia and New Zealand includes HOYTS Cinemas, a cinema chain, and Val Morgan, which sells advertising on cinema screens and digital billboards. The company was established by dentist Arthur Russell in Melbo ...
,
Event Cinemas Greater Union Organisation Pty Ltd, trading as Event Cinemas, Greater Union, Moonlight Cinema and Birch Carroll & Coyle (BCC Cinemas), is the largest movie exhibitor in Australia and New Zealand, with over 140 cinema complexes currently operati ...
and
Village Cinemas Village Cinemas is an Australian-based multinational film exhibition brand that mainly shows blockbusters, mainstream, children and family films and some arthouse, foreign language and documentary films. Since 2003, its Australian sites bec ...
) unlike other Bollywood films which have to choose between the two latter. In the United States and Canada, the film grossed $1.13 million on its opening day. This was followed by the biggest ever single-day for a Hindi film with $1.8 million on Saturday, breaking the previous record held by '' PK'' ($1.41 million). Although ''Baahubali 2: The Conclusion'' still holds the record for all Indian films, that is inclusive of three different languages. It went on to set a new opening weekend record for a Hindi film with $4.2 million, and witnessed the second best per-theatre-average inside the top 10 with $13,188 from 324 theatres. As of 6 February 2018, the film has crossed worldwide, making it one of the top 10
highest-grossing Bollywood films Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood, consisting primarily of films in the Hindi language. This ranking lists the highest-grossing hindi films produced by Hindi cinema, based on conservative global box office estimates as reported by orga ...
of all time. Its domestic
net income In business and Accountancy, accounting, net income (also total comprehensive income, net earnings, net profit, bottom line, sales profit, or credit sales) is an entity's income minus cost of goods sold, expenses, depreciation and Amortization (a ...
was in the fourth weekend of its run. The film has grossed worldwide.


Historical inaccuracies

In the film, the Delhi Sultanate's flag is shown in black colour with a white crescent moon. The Sultanate actually had a green flag with a black band running vertically on the left. Most historians believe little evidence exists for Padmavati in real life. And, in the original ''Padmavat'' poem written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, Khilji never had a direct confrontation with Raja Ratansen. It was shown in the film that, Malik Kafur was gifted as a slave to Alauddin Khalji, while he was actually captured by Alauddin's army general
Nusrat Khan Jalesari Nusrat Khan (died 10 July 1301) was a general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He served as Alauddin's wazir (prime minister) at the start of his reign, and played an important role in the Sultan's Devagiri (1296) and Gujarat (129 ...
, during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and converted to Islam


Portrayal of Jalaluddin and Alauddin Khilji

Before their ascension to the throne, Jalaluddin and Alauddin Khilji were known as
Malik Firuz Jalal-ud-Din Khalji, also known as Firuz al-Din Khalji, Jalaluddin Khilji or Firuz II (Persian; جلال الدین خلجی c. 1220 – 19 July 1296, ) was the founder and first Sultan of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate of I ...
and Ali Gurshasp, respectively. Jalaluddin Khilji is portrayed as an arrogant, cunning and cruel man, though he was actually popular for being a mild-mannered, humble, and pious ruler. Jalaluddin ascended the throne of Delhi in 1290 only to end the chaos that ensued after the death of Sultan
Ghiyas ud din Balban Al-Sultan al-Azam Ghiyath al-Dunya Wal Din Abu'l Muzaffar Balban al-Sultan (; 1216 – 13 January 1287), more famously known as Ghiyath al-Din Balban or simply Balban, was the ninth Mamluk sultan of Delhi. He had been the regent of the last S ...
. He was not ambitious by nature and did not lead an attack on the
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.
from
Ghazni Ghazni (, ), historically known as Ghaznayn () or Ghazna (), also transliterated as Ghuznee, and anciently known as Alexandria in Opiana (), is a city in southeastern Afghanistan with a population of around 190,000 people. The city is strategica ...
,
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
. The portrayal of Alauddin Khilji in the film has been criticised by historians and critics for its historical and geographical inaccuracies and not staying faithful to the epic ''
Padmavat ''Padmavat'' (or ''Padmawat'') is an epic poem written in 1540 by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi, who wrote it in the Awadhi language, and originally in the Persian Nastaʿlīq script. It is the oldest extant text among the important works i ...
''. The film shows an unsuccessful assassination plot by Alauddin's nephew, one which seriously injures the Sultan, but none of this actually happened. Historian Rana Safvi wrote that Khilji was sophisticated, not barbarian as portrayed in the film. Historian Mohammed Safiullah also criticised Khilji's portrayal and the implicit depiction of a
homosexual relationship A same-sex relationship is a romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex. ''Same-sex marriage'' refers to the institutionalized recognition of such relationships in the form of a marriage; civil unions may exist in countries w ...
between Khilji and his slave-general
Malik Kafur Malik Kafur (died February 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan Jalesari, Nusrat Khan during the Alauddin Khalji's co ...
. Historian Archana Ojha of
Delhi University The Delhi University (DU, ISO 15919, ISO: ), also and officially known as the University of Delhi, is a collegiate university, collegiate research university, research Central university (India), central university located in Delhi, India. It ...
criticised Alauddin Khilji's look and clothing in the film.


Accolades


See also

*
List of highest-grossing Indian films This ranking lists the highest-grossing Indian films produced by Cinema of India, Indian cinema, based on conservative global box office estimates as reported by organisations classified as green by Wikipedia. The figures are not adjusted for ...
* List of historical films set in Asia


References


External links

*
''Padmaavat''
at
Bollywood Hungama Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is an Indian entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000. The website provides n ...
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