BJP Lashes Out at Actor Swara Bhasker Over Controversial ‘Padmaavat’ Comments
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker has found herself at the center of a heated political and social firestorm following her critical remarks regarding the practice of ‘jauhar’—the historical tradition of self-immolation practiced by women to escape capture and dishonor during wartime—as depicted in the 2018 Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, Padmaavat.
The controversy erupted after Bhasker appeared at a recent event where she openly questioned the glorification of the ritual. Referring to the film’s climactic scene, in which the central character, Rani Padmavati, leads women into a pyre, Bhasker remarked, “I would feel like a coward [if] I didn’t kill myself to ‘save my honour’.” She went on to challenge the societal narrative, asking, “Is that what you want to tell in a society like ours where there is anyway a rape epidemic? Is this what we want to tell our survivors, that you didn’t deserve to live?”
Her comments triggered an immediate backlash online, prompting the actor to issue a video clarification. She maintained that she was analyzing the film’s messaging rather than labeling the fictionalized depiction of the Queen as a “coward.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to respond to the actor’s critique, with party spokespersons and leaders condemning her stance. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia launched a pointed attack on the actor, utilizing wordplay on her name. “You just mentioned a person whose ‘swara’ (voice) is distorted,” Bhatia said during a press conference. “This person has a voice that is fed to them from above.” He further urged the actor to exercise restraint, stating, “I believe no such comments should be made, and it is essential that every woman respects other women.”
The backlash has since escalated from political rhetoric to legal action. Krishna Kumar Singh, a BJP leader in Bihar, has formally lodged a police complaint against Bhasker, accusing her of making derogatory statements against Hindu culture and Rajput women.
The Karni Sena, the Rajput organization that famously protested the film’s release in 2018, also leveled sharp criticism at the actor. Kirthi Rathore, chief of the organization’s women’s wing, demanded that Bhasker “mind her language.” Rathore stated, “If you insult our Hindu female warriors, the female warriors of Sanatan, in this manner, and point fingers at their sacrifice and bravery, the Karni Sena will never forgive you.” Rathore further alleged that Bhasker consistently singles out traditional Hindu practices while ignoring regressive traditions within other religions.
The debate serves as a stark reminder of the enduring sensitivities surrounding the film Padmaavat, which draws inspiration from the 16th-century epic poem by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi. As the BJP attacks Swara Bhasker for her perspective, the incident highlights a deeper, ongoing cultural clash regarding how historical narratives, gender, and tradition should be interpreted in contemporary India.
