Every time the film got criticism for the title and so now, Akshay Kumar’s Prithviraj has been renamed.
Prithviraj, played by Akshay Kumar, has been renamed Samrat Prithviraj. The change is not surprising given that the film has been chastised over its title from its inception. It was in 2021 that the president of the Karni Sena Youth Wing warned the makers of Prithviraj to change the title of the film. Protests later erupted in Chandigarh for the same reason. Now that the film has been renamed Samrat Prithviraj, here’s a chronology of all the occasions Akshay Kumar’s film has taken the brunt of the criticism.
YRF has renamed the Akshay Kumar starrer Prithviraj on the 27th of May, the film now goes by the name Samrat Prithviraj now. Post numerous meetings. The production house took the sentiments and demands of the Rajput community into consideration and agreed to change the film’s name to Samrat Prithviraj.
This film has initiated controversy since Day 1. In the December of the year 2021, a large number of people gathered at the Devnarayan Temple in Vaishali Nagar, Ajmer to protest against the using the term Rajput for Prithviraj. The Gurjar community blocked roads and hogged the District Collector’s office to submit a document about their demands and the mob also threatened to stop the screening if their demands weren’t met.
Harchand Gurjar, the President of All India Veer Gurjar Samaj Reform Committee is of an opinion that the title should be changed and the historical facts should not be messed with, along with these he also demanded truth be shown. The Gurjar community claims that the ruler belonged to their community. The Gurjar society as a whole has asked for a special screening for their representatives and historians before the film hits the theaters.
Taking it further down the lane in June 2021, the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha too protested against the title in Chandigarh. The people working with the organisation demanded that the title should not be just Prithviraj, instead, it should be either Hindu Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan or Emperor Prithviraj Chauhan. When questioned about the reason they said that he was the last Hindu Emperor and the title of the film should offer full respect to him. The community also warned that if they won’t change the title the film would have toface consequences just like the ones faced by Padmaavat and Jodhaa Akbar. During the same rally, chants were yelled and an effigy of Akshay Kumar was burned.
Surjeet Singh Rathore, filmmaker and President of the Karni Sena’s Youth Wing, wrote in May 2021 that the wing respects Akshay Kumar. They did, however, add that producer Aditya Chopra should comprehend people’s views and respect the last ‘Hindu Samrat Veer Yoddha Prithviraj,’ Rathore remarked. According to Rathore’s Hindi post, “Akshay Kumar plays the lead part in the film Prithviraj, and we admire him. However, the film’s producer, Aditya Chopra, should keep in mind and comprehend the sentiments of the people, and the name of the last Hindu Samrat, Veer Yoddha Prithviraj ji, should be treated with respect. Otherwise, the circumstance will be reminiscent of Padmaavat.”
Rathore also stipulated three conditions. It included “pre-release screenings of the film,” “showings of the film to Rajput culture,” and the “title of the film to carry the complete name – Veer Yoddha Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan.”
After several arguments and finally a name change, Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj is due to be released on June 3.
