Amidst Padmavati row, Rajasthan comes up with the idea of installing Rani Padmini statue

The release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama 'Padmavati' may be delayed further due to the ongoing controversy over the depiction of the role of  Rani Padmini in the film. However the controversy has not stopped the Government in Rajasthan from building on the concept of the queen. Amidst the unrest over handling of the saga of Rani Padmini by the film maker, the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government has decided to install a nine-feet tall  statue of Rani Padmini in the State. The government proposes to locate  the statue in Udaipur, the heart of Mewar. 

In fact the decision to install the statues of some leading historical personalities of the former Rajputana, including that of Rani Padmini was taken by the State Government a year back. However, reportedly due to the apathy of government officials, the statues could not be built .The  matter was taken up once again recently and Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria met the designated sculptor, Rajkumar. After discussions Kataria, also a legislator from Udaipur town, directed him to complete the statue of Rani Padmini and others at the earliest. 

The  Padmini statue is now being built in Jaipur and it will take nearly five months to complete. Later it will be transported to Udaipur and a formal unveiling   will take place following  its installation. It is said that in the statue Rani Padmini is to be shown as getting ready for her self-immolation (Johar).  Rajkumar is credited with sculpting of  the  47-feet tall  statue of Arjuna in front of the  Sawai Mansingh Stadium (SMS) in Jaipur. 

The other statues being built are of  Panna Dhai, Rana Khumba, Rana Sanga,  Bappa Rawalji, Kesari Singh Bareth  and Vijay Singh Pathik.  “We received the order a year ago from the government, but could not make any progress  as the procedures were not complete. Now the government has given the green signal to go ahead and  complete the work at the earliest,” informed  Rajkumar. 

He said that the artists were presently going through the history of Rani Padmini to understand her persona.