MUMBAI, India — They stormed a film set. They pulled the director’s hair. They burned movie posters. They even threatened to behead the lead actress — or at least cut off her nose.

Hindu extremists in India have played just about every trick in their book to block the release of “Padmaavat,” a lavish Bollywood film about a 14th-century Hindu queen.

But none of it worked, and this coming week, the most potentially explosive Indian film in years will open across the country.

With many Indians fearing that “Padmaavat” has all the ingredients that could lead to riots, the police are already planning extra security. The film hits two of India’s sorest sore spots: Hindu-Muslim relations and perceived assaults on tradition.

