‘Are We Saying R*pe Is the End of a Woman’s Life?’

Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker has once again spoken about her comments on the Jauhar scene in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmaavat. Her earlier remarks had created a strong reaction on social media, with several people accusing her of disrespecting Rani Padmavati and the women shown in the historical drama.

Swara had discussed the issue during a talk at the India International Centre in Delhi on August 31. While speaking about the Jauhar sequence in Padmaavat, she questioned the message that such a scene could give to women who have survived sexual violence.

Swara said that she felt uncomfortable with the idea of presenting death as a way for women to protect their honour. She said that a rape survivor should never feel that her life has ended because of the crime committed against her. She also questioned the way the film shows women including a pregnant woman entering the fire during the Jauhar sequence.

Her comments soon became a major topic of discussion online. Some social media users criticised her views and argued that Jauhar should be understood in its historical context. They said that the women shown in the film were facing extreme circumstances and that describing their actions as cowardly would be unfair.

The debate also became connected to the larger discussion about how films should present sensitive historical events. While some viewers defended Swara’s concerns about the message of the scene, others strongly disagreed with her interpretation.

Swara has now clarified her position. She said that she did not call Rani Padmavati a coward. Her comments, according to her clarification, were about the way the Jauhar scene was presented and the message it could send to women who have survived sexual violence.

Padmaavat was released in 2018 and featured Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji. The film became one of the most talked-about Hindi period dramas because of its subject and its depiction of the Jauhar sequence.

The latest controversy has once again brought Padmaavat and its treatment of history into public discussion. Swara’s clarification is now adding another angle to the debate that has continued around the film and its controversial scenes.