Swara Bhasker calls Padmaavat Jauhar scene ‘problematic’; internet accuses actor of being ‘malicious’

Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker has reignited debate over the 2018 film Padmaavat after criticising its depiction of the Jauhar sequence, saying the scene could send a troubling message to rape survivors.

Speaking at the “Woman Life Freedom” talk at the India International Centre in Delhi on August 31, Bhasker questioned the message conveyed by the film’s climactic portrayal of Jauhar.

‘Rape survivors don’t deserve to live?’

Discussing the sequence, Bhasker said she wondered how a rape survivor might feel while watching it. She argued that the scene could imply that women who survive sexual violence are somehow less courageous or honourable than those who choose death.

“This scene was so problematic,” she said, questioning whether rape should be portrayed as the end of a woman’s life.

Bhasker also recalled being particularly disturbed by a shot showing a pregnant woman taking part in the Jauhar sequence.

She said the scene made her angry because it appeared to suggest that an unborn girl should not be allowed to live because of the possibility that she could face sexual violence. Bhasker said she waited several days before deciding whether to publicly express her views and eventually wrote a letter about the issue.

Social media backlash

Her comments triggered a strong reaction on social media, with several users accusing the actor of misinterpreting the historical context of Jauhar.

Some users argued that Jauhar should be understood in the context of the violence, captivity and sexual enslavement feared by women during medieval warfare, rather than being characterised as an act of cowardice. Others criticised Bhasker for applying modern notions of individual choice directly to a historical practice.

One user accused her of calling women who committed Jauhar “cowards”, while another described Jauhar as an act of bravery in the face of extreme violence.

Some comments also challenged her understanding of the historical circumstances surrounding the practice, while others called her remarks “malicious”.

What is the Jauhar scene in Padmaavat?

In Padmaavat, the Jauhar sequence appears during the climax after Alauddin Khilji’s forces defeat the Rajputs and breach the fort of Chittor.

Deepika Padukone’s character, Rani Padmavati, leads the women of the fort into a mass self-immolation to avoid capture. The sequence follows the death of Shahid Kapoor’s Maharawal Ratan Singh and Khilji’s victory over Chittor.

About Padmaavat

Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Padmaavat is a 2018 Hindi epic period drama starring Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji.

The film also features Aditi Rao Hydari, Jim Sarbh, Raza Murad and Anupriya Goenka. Written by Bhansali and Prakash Kapadia, it is based on Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s epic poem Padmavat.