Why a Bollywood epic is facing fierce protests

The epic in Awadhi language extols the virtue of Padmavati who committed sati, the practice of a widow immolating herself on her husband's funeral pyre, to protect her honour from the invading Muslim emperor Khilji who had killed her husband, the Rajput king, in a battle. Sati is believed to have originated some 700 years ago among the ruling class or Rajputs in India.