Despite the release of Bollywood period drama Padmavati being deferred, lead star Deepika Padukone is still scheduled to arrive in the UAE to attend an awards ceremony on November 24.

However, it remains to be seen if the rest of team of this historical epic will keep their date with Sharjah for the Asiavision Movie Awards.

Padukone, along with Padmavati cast members Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, were due to promote their period drama in the UAE and attend the awards at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday evening.

Speaking with Gulf News tabloid! local organisers of the junket, Nissar Syed of Asiavision Awards, maintained that Padukone is confirmed to attend, but there is no clarity on whether the other stars will accompany her as planned.

“Deepika is confirmed to walk home with the Asianvision Global Icon Of The Year Award. But we are still waiting on the status of the other stars. We will know soon,” Syed said.

Before the controversial delay of Padmavati, the star cast was due to release a teaser to a new song at the awards ceremony, along with interacting with select local press on Friday. However, the new developments are likely to put a brake on their UAE-leg of promotions.

Padmavati, one of the biggest releases of 2017, is in the eye of a storm as right-wing groups in India have staged protests claiming distortion of history and that its title role of the Rajput queen has been wrongly portrayed.

Threats to bodily harm Padukone and Bhansali have also been made in the last few days, with a bounty being declared by certain outfits.

By Manjusha Radhakrishnan
 
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