The powerhouse performer Bhumi Pednekar will next be seen in the remake of the hit Telugu horror ‘Bhaagamathie’.
Yesterday, the makers of her upcoming horror movie dropped a surprise that left fans a little bewildered by the change.
The title of her movie ‘Durgavati’ was changed to ‘Durgamati: The Myth’, and a new poster was unveiled along with the announcement. It is now being reported that the makers decided to change the title of the movie in a pre-emptive move before any controversy could erupt.
They reportedly did not wish to confuse the subject with the celebrated historical figure – Rani Durgavati, the Queen of Gonds, who valiantly fought against the Mughal army.
A source told Bollywood Hungama, “No one exactly knows why the film’s title has been changed. But the general perception in the trade and industry is that the makers wanted to avoid a controversy. Akshay Kumar’s recent release Laxmii was earlier named Laxmmi Bomb and it led to brouhaha. They were unnecessarily accused of hurting the religious sentiments. Similarly, maybe Durgamati makers went for a title change before any controversy can erupt.
This is because Durgavati is a celebrated historical figure who had bravely fought the Mughals. 3 years back, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had a harrowing time when he made a film on queen Padmavati. The film was ultimately rechristened to Padmaavat. The Bhumi Pednekar-starrer, however, is not about Rani Durgavati but still they decided to change it to Durgamati as a precaution.”
The source further clarified that no group or organization had actually protested against Durgavati’s title. “If there had been a protest or objection, then the media would have known. These groups thrive on the attention they receive from the press. So they would have definitely publicized their disgust over the title. But that’s not been the case and hence, it seems like the makers renamed the title on their own without any pressure. As the Hera Pheri meme goes, bilkul ricks nahi lene ka!”
Akshay Kumar, who’s one of the producers of Durgamati, dropped a spooky motion poster and announced that the film’s trailer will be out tomorrow.
Durgamati: The Myth is all set for an Amazon Prime Video premiere on December 11. Besides Bhumi Pednekar, the film also features Arshad Warsi and Karan Kapadia.