Descendants of Peshwa and Mastani burn Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s effigy at Shaniwarwada

The protesters had gathered at Shaniwarwada, the ancestral capital of Peshwas to condemn the promotional videos and songs of “Bajirao Mastani”, which according to them, distort the history. (Source: Express Photo by Pavan Khengre)

The descendants of Peshwa and Chhatrasal dynasty had organized a protest at Shaniwar Wada on December 12 against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film Bajirao Mastani which is scheduled to release on December 18. The protesters had gathered at Shaniwarwada, the ancestral capital of Peshwas to condemn the promotional videos and songs of the movie, which according to them, distort the history. “The trailer and promotional videos of the movie prove that it is an attempt to distort the historic figures of Maharashtra and Bundelkhand. We are requesting the conerned people to remove these trailers and the objectionable content from the movie, which is not according to the history,” said a release issued by the protesters.

Giving a brief account of the history, protesters said, “When Bundelkhand was attacked by Muhammad Shah Bangash, Chhatrasal Bundela, who was 80-year-old at the time of the attack, asked Bajirao Peshwa to intervene. Bajirao defeated Bangash, and was offered Mastani’s hand by Bundela, her father. She came in Bajirao’s life in 1722 and died in 1740. However, Bhansali has twisted the facts and it is not acceptable to us as it hurts our sentiments.”

The protest was led by Undaysinh Peshwa, descendant of Peshwas, who was joined by Kothrud’s BJP MLA Medha Kulkarni, descendant of Chhatrasal and other old faithfuls. On the occasion, the protesters burnt an effigy of Bhansali and shouted slogans against the movie.