Sanjay Leela Bhansali yet to submit Padmavati to the CBFC for certification

Even as the release date of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus 'Padmavati' has been announced, the filmmaker is yet to submit the film for certification to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), sources have confirmed.

According to the CBFC guidelines, a film has to be submitted 68 days before its release for certification. But that hasn't happened in the case of 'Padmavati' yet.

When contacted, the CBFC spokesperson, without naming the film, said, "Many a times the film's application does not come in on time at the CBFC for certification or sent in with very little time before the announced release dates."

"This approach creates confusion as it potentially indicates the mounting of undue pressure and unfair criticism of the CBFC," the spokesperson added.

'Padmavati' is based on the legend of Rani Padmini, a Hindu Rajput queen, mentioned in Padmavat, an Avadhi language epic poem written by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540.

The film stars Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maha Rawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji.

The movie, slated to release on December 1, has run into controversy over its plot, with some right wing outfits calling it the wrong portrayal of the Rajput queen.

The CBFC maintains that certifying a film is a human process, adding that, "t times there could be a need for specialist opinion etc apart from regular review process for which adequate time needs to be estimated. CBFC should not be casually perceived like a vending machine where at the press of a button a certificate is produced instantaneously."