Controversial BJP MLA Raja Singh from Hyderabad has asked people to boycott film Padmaavat, and asked them to stop its screening in the city, even if it meant burning down and vandalising theatres.

In a video uploaded on his Facebook page, Raja Singh said, "There is a lot of demand to stop the screening of 'Padmaavat', as we held rallies and protests. We did as much as we could and got it banned it in four states. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has turned that around."

"Changing a name does not change history. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has only changed the film's name, but not the script. I request people to oppose the movie in whatever way they can," the Goshamahal legislator added.

Raja also said that he wanted Bhansali to go into a loss and appealed to people to boycott the film. 

"When the movie releases on January 25, no patriotic Indian should go to see the movie. Once such directors face a loss, then they will think before twisting our history," Singh said.

"Protest as you want. Even if you want to burn or break the theatres, ensure that no one watches the movie," he concluded.

This comes weeks after Singh said that he would not allow the screening of the film Padmaavat in any theatre in Hyderabad.

“We have told theatres and informed managers via letters, informing that they will have to bear the consequences and losses, because we will not let them screen the movie. If we are able to stop this one movie, it is our success. If we don’t stop it, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali will break the society,” he had said.  

The film, already cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after five modifications and renamed from Padmavati to Padmavat and now titled Padmaavat, is scheduled to release on January 25 across India. 

The film features Deepika as Rani Padmavati along with Shahid Kapoor playing Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji.

IANS inputs