Rashtriya Kshatriya Maha Sabha Samajothan Samithi, which is opposing the release of ‘Padmavathi’ (now ‘Padmaavat’), today offered to pay the entire production cost of the film to its director Sanjay Leela Bansali if he did not release it. They said the film would hurt the sentiments of the crores of community members.

Though the name of the film had been changed, its contents remained the same and no cuts were made as claimed by Censor Board President Prasun Joshi, Samiti National president Ram Anuj Singh told reporters here.

To preserve the pride of the community, it was ready to pay the production cost, by collecting money among the members, Bansali said. This was to ensure that the film director did not incur loss by the ban, he added.

He said Rani Padmavati was the face of Kshatriya pride, prestige, valour and sacrifice, and the entire world knew that history was twisted and turned in the making of the movie, which was disrespectful for the community.

The samiti had written to the Chief Ministers of all States and also the Prime Minister to ban the screening of the film, since the changing name of any historical sacred texts would not change its contents, he said.

Despite the appeal by representatives of different communities for a ban, the Board had not invited them to a screening of the film and instead did it in front of some mediapersons and historians, who knew nothing about Rajput history and legacy and also Rani Padmini, he said.

The samiti would decide the future course of action, if the film was released on January 25, amid the protests, Singh said.