Hindus urged to burn down UK cinemas over Bollywood film

An upcoming Bollywood film that features a contentious inter-religious romance has prompted threats of terror attacks at the UK cinemas screening it.

Padmavati has proven a controversial film, despite no one having seen it.

Demonstrations have been held in India to stop it coming out - and India's film board has heeded the protesters' advice, delaying the release until a review is carried out.

In Britain, where opposition to the film's release is comparatively insignificant, it has a release date - but Hindus back in India are outraged that it'll be shown.

One radical group, Karni Sena, is pleading with the Hindu population in the UK to burn down the cinemas screening it, The Telegraph reports.

The controversy centres around a romance between the film's main characters: Rani Padmavati, a legendary Hindu queen and goddess, and Alauddin Khilji, a Muslim Turko-Afghan ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.

The characters, who are believed to have been real people in the 13th century, are revered by their respective religions - and as such, the movie has been shrouded with controversy.

Deepika Padukone, the actress who plays the titular role, has received mutilation threats, and there have been myriad attacks on the film's set and its director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Protests in cities throughout India have also been rife.

As a result, Bhansali agreed to cut many of the most contentious scenes from the film - and has now clarified there will be "no romantic scene or song or dream sequence between Rani Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji".

Other complaints about the film centre around Padmavati dancing sensually and bearing her midriff in the trailer.

Padmavati will come out in the UK on December 1.

Newshub.