Did you know: Late actor Om Puri had played the menacing Alauddin Khilji much before Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh’s portrayal of Alauddin Khilji in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati has unanimously grabbed all the attention of the audience. But do you know that before Ranveer Singh, late actor Om Puri had explored the controversial character of Alauddin Khilji in a television show titled Bharat Ek Khoj, which used to air in the late 1980s. The show was based on Padmavat by Sufi poet, Malik Muhammad Jayasi, who showcased Khilji’s greed for Chittorgarh’s treasures and obsession for Rani Padmini.

The 45-minute episode covered some interesting and crucial element of this tale. While Seema Kelkar essayed Deepika Padukone’s role of Rani Padmini, veteran actor Rajendra Gupta played Shahid Kapoor’s character of Raja Rawal Ratan Singh. Padmavat, the poem, narrates how Khilji’s obsession with Queen Padmini’s beauty leads to the destruction of the Chittorgarh empire.

Coming back to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati, it is facing a backlash from protestors and political groups for distorting facts. The makers have planned to hold a screening for the protestors once they get an approval of the film from CBFC. The makers stated, “We are first looking at the censor board (for clearance) and then we don’t have a problem (to show the film) because they are imagining something different and we would like to quell all these doubts first. But ideally, we want to get the certificate first. We do not have a problem (in screening the film) please realise this is unprecedented, this is not how it is supposed to be done. What they (certain sections of people) are saying is not in the film, we do not have anything to hide.”

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati also stars Raza Murad and Jim Sarbh in key roles. The film is set to hit screens on December 1.