Film industry unites to condemn attack on Bhansali in Jaipur

Mumbai: Film industry has come together to condemn the attack on director Sanjay Leela Bhansali during the shooting of his directorial venture "Padmavati" in Jaipur calling it "appalling", "ridiculous" and "mockery of democracy". Bhansali, was shooting for his new film in Jaipur's Jaigarh Fort, when he was assaulted by activists of a Rajput community group, Karni Sena, who also vandalised the set and celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Karan Johar, Anruag Kashyap, Anushka Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Omung Kumar, Sudhir Mishra, Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan and Sonam Kapoor took to social media to vent their anger over the incident.

"Thoughts of what has transpired with Sanjay Bhansali today are just not leaving me!! Feeling helpless and angry!! This cannot be our future! Attacking a filmmaker and his right to free voice is no answer. So called historian and moral police! Disgusting!" Johar tweeted. The filmmaker, who recently faced the ire of a right wing organisation during the released of his film "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", said, "No member of our industry should be silent on this matter It's calls for unity and NOT selective indifference." Kashyap also exhorted the industry to unite. "Can once the whole film industry come together and take a stand, and refuse to be a pony that all bullshit and bullshitters ride on? "At the same time Shame on you Karni Sena, you make me feel ashamed to be a Rajput.. bloody spineless cowards...," he said. Priyanka, who worked with Bhansali in "Bajirao Mastani," said she is "saddened" by the whole incident.

"It's appalling to hear what happened to #SanjayLeelaBhansali. I'm so saddened.Violence is not what our forefathers taught you," she wrote. Hrithik said he is "enraged". "Did random people enter another persons workplace n raise their hand on him because dey decide they don't like what he does? I am enraged! Mr Bhansali , Sir. I stand with you. This is so infuriating," the "Guzaarish" actor tweeted. Farhan also urged the industry people to unite and give it back to the "vulgar display of self righteousness". "My fellow film folk, if we do not unite now against these recurring incidents of bullying, it's going to get much worse. If u don't like what he's making, don't watch his film. What's with the violence?? Apart from a vulgar display of self righteousness," he wrote. Gowariker tweeted,"Shocking! Appalling!! Despairing!!! And still, we shall not stop making what we want to!! Sanjay stay strong! I am with you! #Padmavati."

Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) also condemned the attack and requested the government to take immediate action. "Condemning the attack on its member #SanjayLeelaBhansali, @DirectorsIFTDA appeals to d Central and State Govt. to provide full security to him," the official IFTDA page posted. Sudhir Mishra tweeted," Our dignity has been violated.The entire film industry must stand with Sanjay n demand that every member of this goon squad shud b arrested!" "Just got the news on what has happened on the #padmavati set. This is mockery of democracy. My full support to #SanjayLeelaBhansali &the crew," Arjun said. Anushka wrote, "Appalled & horrified by what happened on SLB set. NO amount of diff of opinion or disagreement justifies this pathetic behaviour. Shameful!"