Padmaavat: Swara Bhaskar Feels Like a Vagina, Questions Sanjay Leela Bhansali For Glorifying 'Jauhar' in an Open Letter

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magum opus, Padmaavat, is shining bright on the silver screen. After ample of protests and threats to the cast and crew, the film managed to win appreciation at a great extent. However, the Veere D Wedding actress Swara Bhaskar is not quite happy with the movie. A vast admirer of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Swara, refuses to laud the climax scene that shows the practice of ‘Sati’ or ‘Jauhar’ by Rani Padmini. Even though she loves the way the filmmaker works, she has slammed the glorification of the practice. Here’s an excerpt from her letter.

“Perhaps it is because of this attachment and concern that I had for the film that I am SO stunned having watched it. And perhaps that is why I take the liberty and have the temerity to write to you. I will try and be concise and direct though there is much to say.

Women have the right to live, despite being raped sir.

Women have the right to live, despite the death of their husbands, male ‘protectors’, ‘owners’, ‘controllers of their sexuality’.. whatever you understand the men to be. Women have the right to live — independent of whether men are living or not. Women have the right to live. Period.

It’s actually pretty basic. Some more basic points: Women are not only walking talking vaginas. Yes, women have vaginas, but they have more to them as well. So their whole life need not be focused on the vagina, and controlling it, protecting it, maintaining it’s purity. (Maybe in the 13th century that was the case, but in the 21st century we do not need to subscribe to these limiting ideas. We certainly do not need to glorify them. )

It would be nice if the vaginas are respected; but in the unfortunate case that they are not, a woman can continue to live. She need not be punished with death, because another person disrespected her vagina without her consent.

There is life outside the vagina, and so there can be life after rape. (I know I repeat, but this point can never be stressed enough. In general there is more to life than the vagina.

You may be wondering why the hell I am going on and on thus about vaginas. Because Sir, that’s what I felt like at the end of your magnum opus. I felt like a vagina. I felt reduced to a vagina–only. I felt like all the ‘minor’ achievements that women and women’s movements have made over the years– like the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to education, equal pay for equal work, maternity leave, the Vishakha judgement, the right to adopt children…… all of it was pointless; because we were back to basics.”

Well, Swara Bhaskar has put forth her point and we wonder how SLB chooses to react to this! Meanwhile, Padmaavat is ruling the box office collection on the republic weekend and has already collected Rs 56 crores approximately. Do you agree with Swara? Post them in the comments section below.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2018 10:55 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).