Swara Bhasker has returned to a debate that followed her for years. Nearly a decade after writing an open letter to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali over Padmaavat, the actor has explained what prompted her criticism of the film’s climactic jauhar sequence and why she still stands by the questions she raised.
Speaking at a panel titled ‘Woman Life Freedom’ at the India International Centre in New Delhi on August 31, Bhasker said her reaction was not an impulsive one. She recalled taking five days after watching the film to process what had disturbed her before putting her thoughts into writing.
Why did Swara Bhasker criticise Padmaavat’s jauhar scene?
Bhasker said she was particularly concerned about what the sequence could communicate to survivors of sexual assault. Her argument, she explained, was not about denying the brutality faced by women in the historical setting, but about questioning the idea that death could be presented as preferable to surviving sexual violence.
She recalled wondering what a rape survivor might take away from such a depiction, asking whether it could make women feel that their lives had somehow lost their value after an assault. Bhasker also spoke about a close-up of a pregnant woman during the sequence, which she said particularly angered her.
What did Swara Bhasker write in her Padmaavat letter?
Bhasker’s 2018 open letter, published around the film’s release, became a major talking point. One phrase from the lengthy letter eventually overshadowed much of her argument. She said she had attempted to make the point that women are more than their bodies, but the line was turned into the headline ‘I felt like a vagina’.
According to Bhasker, the headline-driven coverage meant that many people never engaged with the larger argument she was attempting to make.
Why was Padmaavat surrounded by controversy?
Directed by Bhansali, Padmaavat starred Deepika Padukone as Queen Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji. The film faced protests and threats even before its release, with Rajput groups objecting to its portrayal of historical figures and alleged distortion of history.
Despite the controversy, Padmaavat became a major commercial success, earning around ₹585 crore worldwide, according to Sacnilk.
Bhasker’s renewed comments have once again divided opinion, with some defending her focus on survivors’ right to live and others arguing that jauhar needs to be understood within its historical context. The debate, much like the film itself, continues to sit at the intersection of cinema, history, gender and cultural memory.
Shiwani works as a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering the entertainment beat. With a strong background in media, she is a true cinema buff who loves keeping up with the latest in pop culture and lifestyle trends. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Shiwani followed her passion and pursued a Master’s in Journalism from IIMC, choosing the road less travelled.
