The film stars Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor. Photo: File 

Scheduled for release on December 1, the controversy surrounding Sanjay Leela Bansali's upcoming Bollywood flick Padmavati seems to be taking a dangerous turn. 

After the attack on Bhansali in Jaipur, vandalisation of a theatre in Noida and 'nose chopping threat' to lead actress Deepika Padukone comes the deadliest threat yet: a bounty on the heads of Padukone and Bhansali. 

The latest call for attack was made by a Thakur leader based in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, who offered Rs5 crore (over Rs80 million in Pakistani currency) to anyone who beheads Bhansali and Padukone.

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The film, based on the legend of Rani Padmini of Chittor, has been embroiled in controversy since its inception as some Hindu groups and political parties have objected to its content. 

The groups have claimed that the film distorts history and portrays Rajput queen Padmavati in a questionable light as it implies a romantic relationship between the queen and Emperor Alauddin Khilji.

"Anyone who brings the head of Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Deepika Padukone will be rewarded with Rs5 crore. Rani Ma Padmavati had sacrificed her life with 12,000 other women in mass immolation (Jauhar), and Bhansali has raised a question on her courage by showing her in bad light in his film. This is unacceptable. Either both of them should leave the country or get ready to be beheaded," said Thakur Abhishek Som, national president of Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Yuva Mahasabha, according to the Times of India.

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Shooting has stopped till further notice

Som added reportedly that he was not afraid of anyone and would do the task himself if no one else comes forward. 

The Mumbai police, according to Indian media, has already increased security for the Bollywood star. 

The Indian media reported that the threat came a day after the UP state government wrote a letter to the central information ministry warning of a law and order situation if the film is released in its present form.