Padmavati: In next film, Sanjay Leela Bhansali to recreate Alauddin Khilji's obsession with mythical queen Padmini

After Saawariya, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had gone to Paris to direct an opera, Padmavati, based on Rani Padmini's story.

May 9, 2016, NewsCrunch

After Bhajirao Mastani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is said to be working on another history drama based on the mythical episode involving Alauddin Khilji and Mewar queen Padmini or Padmavati.

Prakash Kapadia, the scriptwriter of 'Bajirao Mastani', has started work on 'Padmavati', which is targeting a December 15, 2017, release, reports Mid Day.

Randeep Hooda, Salman Khan, Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut are some of the names that are going around for the casting of the movie.
After Saawariya, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had gone to Paris to direct an opera, Padmavati, based on Rani Padmini's story.
As the legend goes Alauddin Khilji, who lusted after Padmini laid siege to  Chittor fort, demanding king Ratan Singh to give up his wife. The Rajput king resisted, resulting in a prolonged siege which ended in an all-out battle and Padmini immolating herself by committing jauhar.

There is no historical evidence that Rani Padmini actually existed.

The first written reference to Rani Padmini, occurs nearly 240 years after the time period ascribed to her in Padmavat, an epic poem written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540 CE.

According to the poem, she was the wife of King Ratansen of Chittor. and the daughter of the contemporary Sinhala king. She was known across India for her bewitching beauty.

As the literary sources of Padmini developed, different versions of her story also emerged. In one version, it was a fellow Rajput king not Alauddin Khilji, who seeks her.

But all stories end with the death of Ratan Singh and Padmavati.