Actress Swara Bhaskar came under sharp political fire on Wednesday, 2 September after remarks she made at a recent public event — in which she drew a parallel between the depiction of 'jauhar' in the film 'Padmaavat' and the experiences of rape survivors today — triggered a swift backlash from across the political spectrum. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led the criticism, accusing Bhaskar of being 'ignorant' and lacking an understanding of history.

What Bhaskar Said

Revisiting an open letter she had written eight years ago to 'Padmaavat' director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bhaskar argued that the film's portrayal of thousands of women committing 'jauhar' — self-immolation to protect their 'honour' — risked making rape survivors of the present day appear to be 'cowards' for choosing to live. The remarks, made at a recent public event, quickly circulated and drew responses from politicians and public figures.

BJP's Rebuttal

BJP leader Shazia Ilmi was among the first to respond, calling Bhaskar 'ignorant and lacking an understanding of history and its essence.' She said it was 'clearly evident that Swara Bhasker ji can neither grasp historical context, nor understand how women are viewed or how they view themselves across societies in our country, nor comprehend our country's constitutional values.'

Ilmi further argued that Bhaskar was conflating two fundamentally different historical and social contexts. 'She is linking a medieval historical context — the context of 'Jauhar' — to that of rape survivors...in a way saying that they should not have performed 'Jauhar',' Ilmi said. She also referenced the treatment of Yazidi women by ISIS, contending that the Rajput women's act was 'a matter of pride' and a means of avoiding captivity, torture, and mass rape.

Reactions From Other Voices

Uttar Pradesh Women Commission President Babita Singh Chauhan said: 'We respect Swara Bhaskar's choice of marrying into another religion, but she should refrain from harbouring grudges against the Sanatan Dharma.' Chauhan maintained that the practice of 'jauhar' was a personal decision made by queens of that era in the absence of male protectors, and declined to pass judgement on whether it was right or wrong. 'Linking it to rapes is absolutely wrong,' she said.

Congress MP Tariq Anwar offered a more nuanced view, acknowledging that 'jauhar' was an accepted tradition of its time but that evolving social understanding had led people to view such practices differently. 'As people's understanding has increased, their thinking has evolved, and their horizons have broadened, people have considered this thing wrong,' he said.

Rajasthan Finance Commission Chairman Arun Chaturvedi echoed a similar position, saying that 'judging a decision based on a certain situation in history would be wrong,' while noting that such practices are not supported today.

Religious figure Maulana Sajid Rashidi also weighed in, questioning the film's underlying message. 'Somewhere this film has conveyed the message that rape survivors are cowards and instead should have died, which I think is very hurtful for the latter and such films should not be allowed by the censor board,' he said.

The Broader Debate

The controversy is not new — 'Padmaavat' has been a flashpoint since its release, drawing protests from Rajput community groups over its historical depictions. Bhaskar's original open letter to Bhansali had itself generated significant debate at the time. This latest episode resurfaces those fault lines, with the added dimension of how historical practices are interpreted through a contemporary lens on gender and survival. Notably, critics across party lines — while disagreeing on the framing — largely converged on the view that equating 'jauhar' with the experience of modern rape survivors is historically and contextually problematic.