‘Padmavati’: Rajput Karni Sena chief claims he’s a descendant of Padmini and says the film must be burned

Rajput Karni Sena’s continued campaign against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmavati’ refuses to simmer down. The fringe outfit’s chief

Lokendra Singh Kalvi

responded to a question on claims that Padmavati or Padmini is a fictitious character, the creation of a 16th-century poet in Awadh, by saying, “Am I a ghost?”



He declared that he is from the 37th generation of the descendants of Rani Padmini and

Maharana Pratap

, and that the reporters should “ask my priests” in Haridwar and Pushkar about his lineage. Among the many claims, Kalvi said that nobody from the Karni Sena, including him, has seen the film yet. As he also justified slapping Bhansali in January, Kalvi went on to say that he has no trust in Bhansali’s vision and promises as he’s known for “distorting history”. Commenting on what should be done with the movie, he says, copies of the film should be packed in silver boxes used earlier for reels, and burnt. To save the Rajput pride ‘Padmavati’ (the film) must meet the same fate as the historical queen.