Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency is a biographical political drama film directed and produced by Kangana Ranaut. Currently, the film is under a lot of controversy due to its failure to meet the censorship requirements of the Central Board of Film Certification. The Sikh community is also seeking a ban on the film due to its objectional content.
Emergency is the directorial debut of Kangana Ranaut, who also portrays Indira Gandhi’s role. The movie is a biographical drama that will follow the events that took place during the Indian Emergency. The film stars Anupam Kher as Jayaprakash Narayan, Shreyas Talpade as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mahima Chaudhry as Pupul Jayakar, Milind Soman as Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, and Vishak Nair as Sanjay Gandhi.
Initially slated to be released in October/November of 2023, Emergency was postponed till 14th June 2024 and was postponed again due to the Lok Sabha elections. The film was then scheduled to release on 6th September. According to Ranaut, the film’s release is delayed again because the Central Board of Certification is denying its certification due to external pressures.
Furthermore, several Sikh organizations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, raised concerns regarding the misrepresentation of facts in the film and have sought a ban. Two Sikh organizations have now filed a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) against the makers of the film in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. In response, the Madhya Pradesh High Court requested the certification board to consider the objections raised and recommend cuts before certifying it.
On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court refused to direct the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to immediately issue a certificate to the Kangana Ranaut-directed film ‘Emergency’ and asked the body to decide on any objections or representations by September 18. The two-judge bench was hearing a plea filed by Zee Studios, the co-producer of the film Emergency.
The bench also said, “Judicial propriety demands such orders ought not be passed. We, therefore, are unable to direct the CBFC to issue the certificate as sought by the petitioner. We, however, do not dispose of the present petition. We direct the CBFC to consider the objections.”Â
Emergency Has Been Stuck In Certification Limbo For Months
During the hearing in Mumbai, Zee’s counsel told the bench that CBFC had via an email informed Kangana Ranaut’s production company that the film is suitable for unrestricted public exhibition on August 8. On August 14, the filmmakers submitted the film with the necessary changes to CBFC.
On August 29, Manikarnika received an email from CBFC stating that the CD is sealed and requested Kangana Ranaut to collect the certificate. However, later, the certificate was not handed over, apparently following the opposition from Sikh communities.
The next hearing regarding the matter will take place on September 19.
