Deepika Won’t Bow Down, Will Continue to Promote ‘Padmavati’

Deepika Padukone will be more cautious, but promotions of ‘Padmavati’ to continue.

Even by their deplorably low standards of vilification the Karni Sena hit a deplorable level of slander when they threatened to cut Deepika Padukone’s nose over the release of her upcoming film Padmavati.

A friend  of  Deepika says the actor can’t stop laughing over the threat. “You are threatening  to cut a woman’s nose by giving  a mythological parallel as justification. If that is not a sign of regression, what is? Anyway, Deepika is not the least scared.  She has been provided security but her movement remains far from restricted. She will continue to promote Padmavati, though now the entire Padmavati team has advised her to exercise caution in her pronouncements. So she won’t make any comments  about the vandals masquerading as protesters. Her outburst against regressive elements was spontaneous and emotional.”

Deepika’s friend says she has never been afraid of  speaking her mind. “In this she is  one with her mentor and friend Shah Rukh Khan who will say what he has  to say, come what may. Deepika learnt the art of candour from her father (badminton champ Prakash Padukone) and she continues to speak her mind and assert her will according to her conscience. And Deepika cannot suffer fools  easily. Unfortunately,  right-thinking  people are not left with much of a choice in the matter these days.”

For those apostles of mischievous violence  who hoped Deepika would bow down after the threat, there is  news: the actor intends to continue doing exactly the promotional events planned for Padmavati, though now she will move around  more cautiously with a beefed  up security .

Says  Deepika’s friend, “She’s more worried  for her director Sanjay Leela Bhansali than  herself. Deepika doesn’t fear the goons. She  once  told  a friend, ‘The  more you give in to irrational forces, and the more you cow down to bullies, the more they attack you. Never show your  vulnerability even to those whom you love the most.’”

There are plenty of hushed whispers on why Deepika’s two Padmavati co-stars are silent when she has been openly threatened with physical violence.

Says  Deepika’s friend, “She can’t speak on Shahid Kapoor, as they are not close friends. But as far as Ranveer is concerned, he is very very worried and concerned. However Ranveer has been forbidden by the Padmavati team from making any comments. There is way too much speculation about how an A-lister hero could play an out-and-out villain. To quell the rumour of a romantic liaison between Ranveer’s character and Deepika’s character, the Padmavati team has advised them to not promote the film together. It is a tactical move. If the public sees them together they will presume that the couple has scenes together in the film, which, let us  reiterate, they do not.”