The trailer of Panipat released earlier this month and it got a big shout from several Bollywood celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal and others. However, a section of the Internet couldn't help but notice similarities between the Ashutosh Gowariker-directed film and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2015 film Bajirao Mastani - both the films are period dramas. After the trailer's release, Kriti Sanon's character Parvati Bai's (Sadashiv Rao Bhau's second wife) look was compared to that of Priyanka Chopra's character Kashi Bai (Maratha Peshwa Bajirao's wife) from the film Bajirao Mastani. Kriti Sanon recently reacted to the comparisons drawn between the two characters and in a recent interview with mid-day, said, "I was expecting comparisons when I signed the film. "Padmaavat" too was compared to Baahubali. The period of Panipat and Bajirao Mastani is similar."
The 29-year-old actress explained that the settings of both the films might appear similar on the surface but the characters are quite different and that the audience should not make judgments based solely on the film's trailer. "The setting is similar because the Peshwas lived in Shaniwar Wada, and they dressed in a certain way. But the characters are different. I hope the audience doesn't jump to conclusions by watching only the trailer," said Kriti.
Kriti Sanon, who bumped into Priyanka Chopra at a party over the weekend, revealed that she and the Quantico actress couldn't stop talking about the history of the Maratha empire. She added, "We were trying to figure the exact relation between Kashi Bai and Parvati Bai." Kriti posted a picture with Priyanka from the party, on her Instagram profile and she wrote: "When Parvati Bai met Kashi Bai. It's always so lovely meeting you PC! Big hug."
Panipat is set against the backdrop of the Third Battle of Panipat, which was fought between the Maratha forces under the leadership of Sadashiv Rao Bhau (played by Arjun Kapoor in the film) and Ahmad Shah Abdali (played by Sanjay Dutt), who lead the invading Afghan forces. The film is slated to release on December 6 this year.
