A day before the release of ‘Padmaavat’, protests against the film intensified across several states with members of several fringe outfits taking out rallies, blocking roads and damaging vehicles.

Earlier in the day, 48 people were arrested in Ahmedabad for indulging in violent acts over the film’s release. In fact, on Tuesday night, dissenting outfits unleashed violence and arson in parts of the city.

Mobs attacked shops, torched vehicles, and pelted stones. The destroyed property included at least 200 vehicles, including bikes and cars, that were either set ablaze or damaged.

Subsequently, theatre owners across Gujarat on Wednesday announced their intention to not give the film a screening till the matter was resolved, to ensure “the safety of customers as well as to save their property.”

In Mumbai, more than 35 supporters of Rajput Karni Sena, one of the groups opposed to the film’s release, were detained.

Police also arrested the Karni Sena’s Chittorgarh unit chief, after its spokesperson declared that over 1,900 women of the community were “ready” to commit “jauhar” or mass immolation.

In Gurugram, protesters torched a bus and pelted stones, while in Meerut, they threw stones at a mall.

#WATCH: Protesters torched bus and pelted stones in protest against #Padmaavat at Gurugrams' Sohna Road. #Haryana pic.twitter.com/B13t6l8XuI

— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018

“Eight-10 masked men had come to pelt stones at PVS mall. Police is on the lookout for the men. We will provide security to the mall at the time of screening of the film,” ANI quoted Civil Lines circle officer Chakrapani Tripathi as saying about the situation in Meerut.

Later in the day, clubs and bars in Gurugram were ordered closed from 7pm in view of the disturbances. The closure is expected to continue till further orders are passed by the authorities, reported ANI.

Agitators also blocked the Delhi-Jaipur highway.

In Madhya Pradesh, nearly 200 protesters blocked National Highway 3, which links Agra with Mumbai, in Indore district and broke glass bottles on the road, PTI reported. Protesters also tried to stop vehicles.

Some 50 activists of the Karni Sena burnt an effigy of the film’s director Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Indore-Depalpur road.

The Karni Sena also gave a call for a ‘janta curfew’ on January 25 – the day of the film’s release. This move is meant to prevent people from watching ‘Padmaavat’.

The group’s chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi said a ‘janta curfew’ on cinema halls would mean that the public will stop the film from being exhibited.

“We are adamant on our stand that this film should be banned. There should be a self-imposed curfew by people,” he said.

Kalvi claimed that leaders of the Shiv Sena had assured the Karni Sena of their support in Maharashtra, reported PTI.

Ticket counter of Indra Cinemas in Jammu has been vandalized, an eyewitness says protesters raised slogans against the movie #Padmaavat pic.twitter.com/vCy5pGkaNc

— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018

He also rejected as “rumours” reports that some members of his outfit had watched the film ahead of its release.
The Rajasthan government accepted the people’s right to protest, even as it asked that they remain within the “framework of law and order.”

“We have appealed to protesters that if they want to protest while being within framework of law and order, they can go ahead with it. As a matter of fact, there aren’t many cinema halls in Rajasthan who are ready to screen the film,” the state’s home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said.

Several fringe groups allege that ‘Padmaavat’ distorts history and shows the Rajput community in bad light.

Despite the censor board clearing the film for release, four states – Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana – had banned its screening. Their move was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

In 2014, former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s media advisor (2004-2008) and Indian policy analyst, Sanjaya Baru, stirred up quite a storm with the release of his controversial book, ‘The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh’. The book, back then, gave fodder to the opposition and the nation to question Manmohan Singh’s powers and the impact of the Congress party and its leader Sonia Gandhi, on the decisions he made during his tenure.  

While, the book alleged that he was not entirely in control of his cabinet, Singh, however, asserted that there was no truth or authenticity in the account. Well, fast forward to the present time and we already know that a movie on the same is in the works. 

© bohra bros production

We already know that actor Anupam Kher will take on the challenging role of Manmohan Singh in ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, and now another pivotal cast member has been revealed and it looks amazing. 

35-year-old German-born actress, Suzanne Bernert has been roped in to step into the shoes of Sonia Gandhi, in this upcoming Indian biographical political film. Surprisingly, this is not the first time she will be portraying Sonia Gandhi on-screen. According to Economic Times, Bernert has earlier played Gandhi in a political documentary TV series titled ‘Pradhanmantri’. This TV series was hosted by actor and director Shekhar Kapur. The show chronicled the history of India, starting from the post-Independence days.  

© BCCL

While, the makers had their eyes set on an Italian actress for this critical role, they changed their minds after watching Bernert’s audition. Producer Sunil Bohra, who has earlier worked on movies like ‘Shahid’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ series told ET, “Not only does she look the part, but her dialogue delivery is identical to Sonia Gandhi’s. Her audition was truly persuasive.” 

Bernert is not a new name in the entertainment industry. She has earlier acted in a lot of movies and daily soaps like ‘Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.’ and ‘Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat’. 

© contiloe entertainment

Reportedly, actors for the roles of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have also been shortlisted. 

Directed by Vijay Gutte, ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ is expected to release on December 21, 2018 and despite being low-key, we feel the film has everything it needs to break the internet and rule the box-office.