Hansal Mehta has come out in support of Sanjay Leela Bhansalis film Padmavati, saying those expressing outrage without watching it are ignorant.

"It's important to question and debate, but it should be a healthy debate. Those so-called torchbearers of Indian culture actually have no idea about Indian culture and history. Their outrage is not driven by understanding, but by ignorance," he says.

"People should watch before speaking against a project. Even with Padmavati, the people who are protesting, have they watched the film? I am willing to talk to those who have watched the film," adds the filmmaker.

Mehta himself faced controversy during the release of his 2016 film Aligarh, which was based on the real life story of a professor. Now with his new project, the web series, Bose: Dead/Alive, he is exploring the journey of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose from being an introvert to a brave nationalist. 

The filmmaker says he will pity those who will feel offended by Bose: Dead/Alive. "I am very happy with how this web series has shaped up. As a narrative drama, we have never seen anything on this scale before. If there is any outrage over this, then I will feel pity for those who are outraged," he says.