Bollywood is a reservoir of profuse content. There are several genres and the stakes for each is as diverse and as risky an affair as the next one. Period Films are a perennially trending genre of films, which has had a steady stand in the kind of content churned out in the Indian Film Industry. Veteran directors like Ashutosh Gowariker, Sanjay Leela Bhansali- who are leading in this category of filmmaking, have had it tougher than the rest.

 

When it comes to period films, the accompanying hue and cry in terms of historical accuracy, character representation and most importantly religious sentiments take centre stage. Suddenly there is a lot being said about how history is being showcased on the celluloid through cinematic components and more than often, these lead to an unprecedented scenario of events that might go out of hands.

 

Taking some recent films into consideration, Padmaavat – Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus was a visual spectacle. However, the leading actress was terrorized with death threats, whereas, the director himself was ambushed mercilessly.

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Now it is imperative to understand that today, period films have become one of the most trusted ways of minting money because of their massive representation. Certain creative manipulations and distortion of historical facts, becomes a primal need to adhere to mass appeal. The most common people coming at loggerheads with all those involved in the making of these films-are the members of Karni Sena, Hindu Sena and Hindu mitra Mandal. These were precisely the notable clans who wreaked a havoc during the release of period productions like Bajirao Mastani, Panipat, Padmaavat and even Manikarnika – solely on the grounds that the historical facts in the films were hurting certain religious sentiments.

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A rather paltry yet pertinent note to make here is, whether these communities who claim to have such deep respect for their history, are themselves aware of the proper facts regarding the fight they are fighting. Sure, there can be questions of whether Jodhaa Akbar was really Akbar’s Hindu wife, Rani Padmini has often been said to be a mere imagination of the poet who wrote about her – but who is to voice for it?