After physically assaulting Padmavati director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the Shri Rajput Karni Sena has threatened the film's heroine, Deepika Padukone. Mahipal Singh Makrana, president of Rajasthan unit of the outfit, said that they would not hesitate to chop Deepika's nose like Shurpanakha (Shurpanakha was a character in the Ramayana whose nose was chopped off by Lakshmana).

Recently, Deepika called the controversysurrounding Padmavati "absolutely appalling " and said that as a nation, "we have regressed."

Members of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena have also threatened to behead Sanjay Leela Bhansali if he proceeds with the release of Padmavati.

Meanwhile, the convenor of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, Lokendra Singh Kalvi, called for a Bharat Bandh on December 1, the date Padmavati is slated to release. He threatened to burn down any theatre which screens the film and told ANI, "Jauhar ki jwala hai, bahut kuch jalega. Rok sako to rok lo. (This is the fire of 'jauhar', a lot of things will burn. Stop us if you can.)"

Talking to India Today Television, Lokendra Singh Kalvi slammed "naachnewali" Deepika Padukone, who plays the titular role of Padmavati, for her comment that the country is becoming regressive. "The country is not regressing, you are making it so. With folded hands, I beg Deepika not to insult women... Deepika is dancing in the film. Yes, dance, but why are you dancing with less clothing? How are you trying to portray Indian women?" he asked. He also alleged that Padmavati was financed by the "underworld".

Earlier this month, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had released a video clarifying that there was no distortion of history in Padmavati. However, the Shri Rajput Karni Sena convenor is not convinced. "Sanjay Leela Bhansali showed double standards even when it came to Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, so why should we trust him when it comes to this? He showed us one thing and something else came out," he said.

Lokendra Singh Kalvi threatened Sanjay Leela Bhansali's family as well. "My question is, why name this film Padmavati? Go and name it Leela Ek Gujarati. We will not spare the family of Bhansali because he has insulted our mother Padmavati," he said.

Meanwhile, several groups have joined the agitation against Padmavati, turning the protests into a nationwide movement.

KARNATAKA

What started as an agitation in Rajasthan has expanded to the South now. Earlier today, over 500 people marched from Bengaluru's Town Hall to Freedom Park with flags and banners to protest the release of Padmavati.

The protesters included members of the Bengaluru chapter of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena and other right-wing groups. They are seeking a ban on the release of the film in Bengaluru and plan to approach the district authorities for the same.

"We don't want the movie to be released till the objectionable content is deleted. The director did not talk to us before shooting or releasing the teaser," Uday Kumar Singh of Rashtriya Ekatha Manch told NDTV.

RAJASTHAN

It was in Jaipur that the protests have been the strongest. On January 27, 2017, members of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena vandalised the sets of Padmavati in Jaipur and destroyed expensive film equipment. Not just this, they assaulted Sanjay Leela Bhansali and tore his clothes. He was forced to abandon the shoot, and returned to Mumbai.

The group did not stop at that. On March 5, they vandalised the Chittor Fort and smashed mirrors in the Padmini Mahal, where Alauddin Khilji supposedly saw Rani Padmini's reflection. The Shri Rajput Karni Sena claimed that mirrors were not even invented when Rani Padmini lived, and had been installed a few decades ago.

From Deepika Padukone's unibrow to her regal look, the first poster of Padmavati won the hearts of netizens, but the Shri Rajput Karni Sena was not impressed. They burnt posters of the film outside the Rajmandir Cinema Hall in Jaipur on September 23, threatening to not allow the release of Padmavati, claiming that Sanjay Leela Bhansali had reneged on his promise to show the film to the group's leaders.

On November 3, the Shri Rajput Karni Sena led a protest march from Chittorgarh's Padmavati Jauhar Kund. Lokendra Singh Kalvi, patron of the Sena, issued a warning to the filmmaker, "Pehle thappad khaye the, ab joote khayega (He was slapped last time, but this time, he will be beaten with shoes)." Theatre owners in Rajasthan sought protection, as they were threatened with riots and damage to their property if they screened Padmavati.

Following the protests in Rajasthan, distributors in Rajasthan decided to keep a distance from the period drama until the Shri Rajput Karni Sena and Sanjay Leela Bhansali reached a truce.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali released a video where he reiterated that his film contains no dream sequence between Rani Padmini and Alauddin Khilji. Even after that, protests were held in several districts on November 9, including, Dholpur, Bharatpur and Sawai Madhopur.

Yesterday, the members of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena went on a rampage at the Akash mall in Kota. They vandalised a theatre for screening the trailer of Padmavati and threatened that "if this film runs in Kota, then not even a single cinema house will stay intact."

MAHARASHTRA

Sanjay Leela Bhansali shifted base to Kolhapur in Maharashtra after his sets were vandalised in Jaipur, but he found no respite there too. On the night of March 14, about 40-50 unidentified men set fire to the sets there. Petrol bombs and stones were hurled, and costumes and production equipment worth crores were destroyed.

Earlier this month, members of the Akhand Rajputana Seva Sangh took to the streets of Mumbai to protest against the film. 15 of them were detained.

MADHYA PRADESH

In January, shortly after the attack on Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Jaipur, BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh, Akhilesh Khandelwal, announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for anyone who slapped the filmmaker with a shoe. "They (such film personalities) are trying to distort our history to show us in a poor light in public. We can't remain silent anymore. We consider it our responsibility to rein in such forces," he told the media.

Earlier this month, the BJP MP of Ujjain, Chintamani Malviya took to Facebook to express his objection to Padmavati. Hurling insults at Sanjay Leela Bhansali's family, he wrote, "How come filmmakers whose women family members change their husbands every day can understand 'Jauhar'? Mental deformity of Mr Bhansali would not be tolerated in the name of freedom of expression. (sic)"

In Bhopal, members of the Hindu organisation Sanskriti Bachao Manch (SBM) raised slogans against Padmavati, tore posters of the film and burnt an effigy of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, demanding that the film not be allowed to release in the city.

GUJARAT

Last month, an artist in Surat named Karan K made a stunning rangoli of Deepika Padukone in her Rani Padmini avatar. The work of art, which took over 48 hours to complete, was destroyed by a mob of around 100 people chanting "Jai Shri Ram". Calling the vandalism "disgusting and appalling", Deepika urged Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani to take action. Following her tweet, five persons, including four members of the Karni Sena and one from Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), were arrested.

On October 25, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shankersinh Vaghela, demanded that Sanjay Leela Bhansali screen the film for Hindu and Kshatriya leaders before its release and threatened him with "violent protests" in Gujarat otherwise.

The ruling party of Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also joined in the protests. The party asked for a temporary stay on the release till the Gujarat Assembly election and wrote to the Election Commission, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the Central government for the same.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil demanded a special screening for community leaders and said that if they express any objections, cuts should be made to Padmavati accordingly.

UTTAR PRADESH

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) issued a strong warning against the release of Padmavati in Uttar Pradesh for presenting historical inaccuracies. Members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal organised a protest and burned posters of the film in Gonda.

In Agra, district president of the Hindu Jagran Manch, Amit Choudhary, said that films that go against Hindu culture will be opposed.

BJP leader Raja Mahendra Aridaman Singh also demanded a ban of the period drama for mocking the battle of Chittorgarh and Rani Padmini's dedication towards her honour, which was a matter of Rajput pride.

In Varanasi, a women's group representing Rajput women burnt Bhansali's effigy and raised slogans against Bhansali.

JHARKHAND

The anti-Padmavati movement spread to Jharkhand, where several protesters tore and burnt posters of the film in Ranchi. Numerous right-wing organisations, such as Hindu Jagran Manch, Hindu Mahasabha and Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha have been opposing the release of the film in Jharkhand.

HARYANA

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij has demanded a ban on the release of the film not only for allegedly portraying Rani Padmini in a poor light, but also glorifying the illegal practice of 'sati'.

In Sirsa, members of the Rajput community burnt an effigy of Sanjay Leela Bhansali and urged theatre owners not to screen the film.

(With inputs from Rohini Swamy)