MUMBAI: As actress Deepika Padukone received death threats and other warnings by fringe groups, the entire film fraternity came forward in support of her, except Kangana Ranaut.
According to reports, veteran actor Shabana Azmi initiated the “Deepika Bachao” campaign and many leading lady from the industry to sign a petition but the ‘Queen’ actress refused to extend any support.
A well-informed source with a leading entertainment website said, “It was Shabana Azmi who initiated a ‘Deepika Bachao’ campaign in the film industry. She got every major female actor to sign a petition to the Prime Minister asking for Deepika’s safety and protection. The actors who signed included Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Vidya Balan, Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra, Parineeti Chopra, Sonakshi Sinha and many others who willingly, happily and unconditionally signed the petition.”
“But when it came to Kangana Ranaut, Shabana was stumped. Kangana refused pointblank. She said an outright no to signing the Deepika Bachao petition, much to Shabana’s shock and annoyance”, the source further added.
A source close to the actress said that when infamous spat between Kangana-Hrithik broke nobody spoke in support of the actress and now she decides to do the same.
He shared, “What came as a clincher was the complete silence of the industry including Deepika when Kangana battled Hrithik Roshan. Kangana probably feels no need to extend her support to anyone since no one supported her. And she is not all wrong.”
Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the period drama has been in the line of fire with various Rajput groups and political leaders accusing the filmmaker of “distorting historical facts” and depicting queen Padmavati in the wrong light.
It was rumoured that there is a romantic dream sequence in the film between Padmavati (Deepika) and Sultan Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh), a claim which the director has time and again rejected.