People in Rajasthan have protested against Panipat, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, alleging distortion of history. They have claimed the film portrays Maharaja Surajmal in the wrong light. He is shown as a greedy ruler which he never was. As per the film, Maratha warrior Sadashiv Rao Bhau (a character played by Arjun Kapoor) asked Maharaja Surajmal for help to defeat the Afghans, but he demanded the Agra Fort in return. As his demand remained unfulfilled, he refused to help Sadashiv.
Now amidst all that, Indian Forest Service officer Parveen Kaswan fact-checked the film and mentioned that the depiction of Maharaja Surajmal in Panipat is wrong and ill-informed. His first tweet read as, "Not only wrong but also ill-informed depiction of Maharaja SurajMal in #Panipat movie. His few advices to Marathas: 1) Don't bring women & children with army. Will be costly & dangerous. 2) Attack in summer, more success 3) Dont fight straight with big army, go for raids first. 4) Don't loot forts at Delhi. It will unite muslim rulers with Abdali 5) Fact is Agra was already with Surajmal even before battle. Issue was of Delhi fort which if given to Surajmal he would supply food to army. 6) Fact is Surajmal used to speak in Brij bhasha not Haryanavi."
Not only wrong but also ill informed depiction of Maharaja SurajMal in #Panipat movie. His few advices to Marathas;
-don't bring women & children with army. Will be costly & dangerous.
-attack in summer, more success
-dont fight straight with big army, go for raids first
1/n
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) December 8, 2019
He followed it up with a series of tweets:
-dont loot forts at Delhi. It will unite muslim rulers with Abdali
- fact is Agra was already with Surajmal even before battle. Issue was of Delhi fort which if given to Surajmal he would supply food to army.
- fact is Surajmal used to speak in Brij bhasha not Haryanavi. 2/n— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) December 8, 2019
One can wonder what would have been course of history if Marathas had agreed to advice of Surajmal. Third battle of Panipat didn't decide who will rule India but who will not.
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) December 8, 2019
Sadashiv Rao was later killed in the battle. Surajmal provided shelter to all injured women and soldiers. They stayed there for 3 months, most probably at Deeg Kumher. Later with his army Surajmal sent them back. Descendents of these soldiers are still living in some 50 villages.
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) December 8, 2019
The Maratha army had 50,000 soldiers & around 1,00,000 non combatants including women & children. Now who will go in a war like this. This was strongly objected by Surajmal since it would be costly & dangerous. For Which Bhau didn't pay any attention.
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) December 8, 2019
Not just him, Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh, who belongs to the erstwhile royal family of Bharatpur, tweeted: "I have woken up to an astonishing amount of tweets, Facebook posts and messages seeking my opinion on the portrayal of my ancestor and the founder of Bharatpur - Maharaja Surajalmal Ji - in the recently released Panipat movie."
I have woken up to an astonishing amount of tweets, Facebook posts and messages seeking my opinion on the portrayal of my ancestor and the founder of Bharatpur - Maharaja Suraj Mal Ji - in the recently released Panipat movie.
— Vishvendra Singh (@vishvendrabtp) December 8, 2019
In fact, Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Saturday tweeted displeasure over misrepresentation on facts. "The wrong picturisation of a king who was full of self-respect, honest and courteous is condemnable," she tweeted.
— Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) December 8, 2019
Panipat also stars Kriti Sanon and Sanjay Dutt. It released on December 6.
(Source: IANS/Twitter)
