I watched Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat; Modi and Rahul Gandhi's silence about Karni Sena violence is telling

Just finished watching Padmavati (oh sorry Padmaavat) in a special preview last night. All I can say is that every sena should be made to mandatorily watch films and read books before they get hot under the collar next time.

To have protested against the film without seeing it is absurd but familiar.

Frankly, the Karni Sena's cadres and their patrons need productive employment so they can stay off the streets and are denied their 15 minutes of fame. As for the governments which have singularly failed to protect law and order, they should be summarily sacked. And before fine talk about being the fastest growing emerging economy in Davos can we be a progressive society in India? That even the prime minister's home state has been touched by lumpen violence is a blot on our image.

Once again, the prime minister has been silent when he should be reading out the riot act to his own BJP ruled governments. You can't be the macho Mr Modi in Davos and then be unable/unwilling to rein in a Karni Sena at home. And why is the Congress and Rahul Gandhi who tweets on all other sundry issues so conspicuous in their silence? Surely an election in Rajasthan can't override a commitment to the Constitution that guarantees free speech and expression?

Oh yes, the film itself?

A tad too long but lavishly mounted and grandly picturised in true Bhansali style. Is a celebration of Rajput pride and honour (and actually of Brahmin betrayal!) Go see it, not just for the beauty of Deepika Padukone as Padmavati but for Khilji, superbly portrayed by Ranveer Singh (Shahid is good too, but Ranveer remains the standout)

And keep some popcorn for the Karni Sena in case they finally decide to watch the film from a jail cell for inciting violence; that's all they bloody well deserve!

(This post first appeared on the writer's Facebook page.)

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