“‘I Never Called Rani Padmavati Coward’: Swara Bhasker Clarifies Her Jauhar Remark”

Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker has issued a clarification following the controversy surrounding her comments on the jauhar scene in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat.

Speaking at a ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ event at the India International Centre in Delhi on August 31, Swara had criticized the way the jauhar sequence was portrayed in the 2018 film. Her remarks subsequently went viral on social media, with several people accusing her of insulting Rani Padmavati and the women associated with the historical practice of jauhar.

Following the backlash, Swara shared a video on social media explaining what she actually meant.

‘I Never Called Rani Padmavati a Coward’

Swara strongly denied calling Rani Padmavati or the other women who performed jauhar cowards.

She said her remarks had been misunderstood and presented out of context. According to the actress, her concern was about how a rape survivor might interpret a cinematic portrayal in which women choose death rather than survive sexual violence.

Swara explained that while watching the climax of Padmaavat, she wondered whether a rape survivor could feel that she had been “cowardly” for continuing to live after the assault.

Questions Over Women’s Right to Live

The actress said her comments were intended to raise questions about the social attitude toward women who survive sexual violence.

She questioned whether films should convey the idea that a woman’s purity or honor is more valuable than her life. Swara also spoke about the continuing problem of sexual violence against women and referred to the Nirbhaya case, emphasizing the importance of recognizing a woman’s desire and determination to live.

Why Did Swara Criticize the Jauhar Scene?

Swara had previously written an open letter to director Sanjay Leela Bhansali after watching Padmaavat. She said the climax left her uncomfortable, particularly the depiction of women entering the fire.

She also questioned a shot involving a pregnant woman and argued that such imagery raises difficult questions about how women’s bodies, honor, and survival are portrayed in historical cinema.

Karni Sena Objects to Her Remarks

Despite Swara’s clarification, the controversy has continued. The Karni Sena has criticized her comments, with its Rajasthan women's wing objecting to what it considers an inappropriate interpretation of jauhar.

The organization argued that portraying jauhar as an act of cowardice would disrespect the sacrifice and courage associated with Rajput women.

The controversy has once again sparked a wider debate over historical representation in Bollywood, the portrayal of jauhar, women's agency, and the way films depict sexual violence and honor.

While Swara Bhasker says her comments were focused on the right of women to survive and live after sexual violence, her critics maintain that jauhar should be understood within its historical context rather than judged solely through a modern perspective.