Jaipur: Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowarikar's ambitious historical saga Jodhaa Akbar released across the country on Friday but did not hit screens in Rajasthan.

Theatre owners in the state have played it safe by shying away from screening the film after some members of the Rajput community protested against the film’s release.

The boycott of the film by Rajputs has now encouraged the community to call for a nationwide ban.

“Through this medium I want to appeal to Rajputs across the nation that the movie should be banned. Even if the movie has been released, it should be banned as soon as possible,” leader of Karni Sena, Lokender Singh said.

Though the protest has been on the charge that the filmmakers have wrongly portrayed Jodhaa as Akbar's wife, people behind the film stress that the period drama should be taken in the right spirit as a mere entertainer.

“There is no controversy. The opening three slides of the film clearly states that no sentiments are being approached. The film has a disclaimer in the beginning, it's just entertainment and not about hurting anyone’s sentiments,” CEO of UTV Motion Picture Ronnie Screwvala said.

But the battle between alleged distortion of historical facts and creative liberty has had a big casualty – the average filmgoer in Rajasthan.

“I am really disappointed, I am a fan of Aishwarya Rai and had been waiting to see the film,” a fan said.

Meanwhile, talks are on between the Rajput groups and the distributors and producers of the film to end the matter.