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Karni Sena Women’s Wing chief Kirti Rathore has criticised Swara Bhasker over her remarks on Padmaavat and Johar.
Karni Sena Women’s Wing Chief Reacts To Swara Bhasker’s Padmaavat Remarks.
Karni Sena Women’s Wing national president Kirti Rathore has slammed actor Swara Bhasker over her recent remarks on the film Padmaavat and the practice of Jauhar. Rathore said Bhasker should “correct her language” and objected to comments about Sanatan traditions and the sacrifice of Rajput women.
Karni Sena Women’s Wing Chief Hits Back At Swara Bhasker
Kirti Rathore said no one has the right to make objectionable remarks about Sanatan traditions or the sacrifice and valour of Rajput women. She said the practice of Johar should be understood in the context of the history and circumstances of that era.
Kirti Rathore Says Criticism Should Be Based On Historical Facts
Rathore urged that any criticism of Johar should be based on historical facts and said the Karni Sena opposes remarks that it considers derogatory towards the sacrifices of Rajput women.
She said the organisation will not accept what it considers derogatory comments about the sacrifices of Rajput women.
What Did Swara Bhasker Say About Padmaavat?
Speaking at an event hosted by the India International Centre (IIC) in Delhi, Swara recalled her reaction to the film’s climax. Padmaavat, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, had released in January 2018 after months of controversy. Inspired by Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s 16th-century epic poem Padmavat, the film centres on Rani Padmavati and the conflict between Rajput ruler Ratan Singh and Alauddin Khilji.
or Swara, the depiction of jauhar in the climax raised questions about the message being sent to survivors of sexual violence. She recalled watching hundreds of women choose collective self-immolation and wondering how a survivor might interpret the Deepika Padukone Jauhar scene in Padmaavat. “I’m watching this, these 800 women committing jauhar, and I was like, yaar, if I had been, God forbid, if I was a rape survivor, what is this film telling me? I would feel like a coward, that I didn’t kill myself to save my honour. Is that what you want to tell in a society like ours, where I feel like there’s anyway a rape epidemic?” she said.
Swara said she was disturbed by the idea that a woman’s life could be connected to her sexual purity. “Is this what we want to tell our survivors, that you didn’t deserve to live? That if you actually had been honourable and brave women, you would have killed yourself. Are we saying that rape is the end of a woman’s life?” she said.
Another scene also stayed with her. Swara recalled seeing a close-up of a pregnant woman during the jauhar sequence and questioned what that image suggested about the value of a woman’s life. “And then there was that one shot, it made me so mad, I was like, chiii, in the audience loudly. There is a close-up of a pregnant woman’s belly. And she is going, so you’re saying that a foetus that might be female doesn’t deserve to be born, because she might be raped by a Muslim ruler?” she said.
Swara Bhasker Says Her Comments Were Misconstrued
On Tuesday, Swara Bhasker issued a video statement amid the backlash she faced for her comments. In a video that Swara issued on her X handle she claimed that her words were being ‘wrongly’ translated and urged everyone to watch the original video before making any judgements.
“My video clip has gone viral—it’s being wrongly and falsely translated! I absolutely did not say that Queen Padmavati or any sati was a coward. It’s shameful that media channels and people are repeatedly leveling false accusations to incite people. If you want to hurl abuses, then do so—but do it on the basis of my actual statement!!! Listen and share. Women have the right to life even after rape,” she wrote in the caption of her video.
Padmaavat, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, had released in January 2018.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The Karni Sena believes that historical interpretations and criticism of practices like Jauhar must be based strictly on historical facts. The organisation asserts that the practice of Jauhar should be understood within the specific historical context, circumstances, and era in which it occurred, rather than being judged by modern standards. They view Jauhar as a symbol of the sacrifice and valour of Rajput women and oppose any remarks they consider derogatory to this heritage.
Ask News18About the Author
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment wo…Read More
September 02, 2026, 11:17 IST