Swara Bhasker Calls ‘Padmaavat’ Jauhar Scene ‘Cowardly’; Netizens Lash Out at Actress
Actor Swara Bhasker has reignited online controversy by criticizing the depiction of Jauhar in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2018 film 'Padmaavat', arguing that glorifying mass self-immolation sends a harmful message to modern sexual assault survivors about female honour. Her comments have triggered a sharp backlash across social media.
Actor Swara Bhasker has reignited a fierce online debate after revisiting her critique of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2018 historical drama Padmaavat. Bhasker sparked fresh outrage across social media platforms after terming the portrayal of the climax sequence, which depicts the practice of Jauhar (mass self-immolation), as problematic and questioning the message it sends regarding female honour and survival. Swara Bhasker Body Shaming Response: Actress Hits Back at Trolls Over Post-Pregnancy Weight Gain.
What Did Swara Bhasker Say About ‘Padmaavat’ Jauhar Scene?
Speaking at a recent public event, Bhasker explained why she felt compelled to challenge the film’s depiction of Jauhar, a historical practice where Rajput women immolated themselves to avoid capture, enslavement, and rape by invading forces. The actor reflected on how the cinematic representation felt to viewers, particularly survivors of sexual violence.
"I was watching it, and I thought that if God forbid, I was a rape survivor, what is this film telling me?" Bhasker stated. "I would feel like a coward that I didn't commit suicide to save my honour. Is that what you want to tell in a society like ours where I feel like anyway there is a rape epidemic? Is this what we want to tell our survivors—that they don't deserve to live, that if you actually would have been an honourable and brave woman, you would have killed yourself?"
Bhasker argued that cinematic framing which glorifies suicide over survival sends a damaging message, asking: "Are we saying that rape is the end of a woman's life? This scene was so problematic."
Swara Bhasker Questions ‘Padmaavat’ Jauhar Scene Featuring Deepika Padukone
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Netizen Backlash
Bhasker’s comments immediately triggered intense criticism online, with many users challenging her interpretation of history and accusing her of disregarding historical context. Critics on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) argued that Jauhar was a tragic choice made under dire medieval wartime conditions to escape brutal captivity, rather than a commentary on modern rape survivors.
How Netizens Reacted to Swara Bhaskar's ‘Padmaavat’ Remark
Several users labelled her remarks as "ignorant" and "malicious," claiming she mischaracterised a historical sacrifice through an inappropriate modern lens. Others pointed out that depicting historical events accurately in fiction does not equate to endorsing those practices for contemporary society, accusing the actor of seeking attention by dredging up past controversies. Free Palestine: Swara Bhasker Responds to Social Media Backlash Over Pampers and Nestle Product Use Amid Boycott (Watch Video).
Actress Jaya Bhattacharya Also Reacted to Swara Bhasker's Comments
This is not the first time Bhasker’s stance on Padmaavat has caused a stir. Shortly after the film's release in 2018, she published an open letter to director Sanjay Leela Bhansali criticising the climax for reducing women's worth entirely to their sexual purity, famously stating that the movie left her feeling "reduced to a vagina."
Women and Child Helpline Numbers:
Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 01, 2026 03:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
