Sidharth Malhotra: Unfair to judge Padmavati without watching it

Actor Sidharth Malhotra says Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made films which are "respectful and artistic" and it is not right to judge "Padmavati" without watching it. The actor said being a part of the industry, he understands the hard work that goes into making a film.

Sidharth Malhotra

"If you see the kind of movies Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made, they are respectful, artistic and they have nothing offensive about them," Sidharth told reporters here last night. "So, I feel it is unfair that you comment on a film without watching it. Only the censor board has that right (to comment on a film). As an industry, we are hoping the film gets a good release and people are able to watch the film and then decide," said the actor while speaking on the sidelines of the second edition of Lokmat Mahasrashtra's Most Stylish awards.

Bhansali has been facing trouble since he started shooting for the movie. The set of the movie was vandalised twice -- in Jaipur and Kolhapur -- and the director was roughed up by members of Karni Sena during the Jaipur schedule of the film earlier this year. Rajput groups and some BJP members have accused Bhansali of distorting facts in the movie, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. The film is scheduled to be released on December 1. Bhansali has already issued an appeal to clarify that there is no dream sequence between Deepika's Padmavati and Ranveer's Alauddin Khilji characters.