5 key points explaining controversy around Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Emergency’ movie on Indira Gandhi

Actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming movie ‘Emergency,’ supposed to be released on September 6, has been postponed amid ban demands from Sikh leaders over the portrayal of the community in it.

Kangana, who plays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is also the director of the movie. The release of the movie trailer had caused a furore in Punjab. The movie is yet to get a green signal from the Certification Board.

‘Demotivating and unjust’

Kangana took to X on September 2 calling it ‘demotivating and unjust.’

“Law of the land is that one can show unimaginable amount of violence and nudity on OTT platforms without any consequence or censorship, one can even distort real life events to suit their politically motivated sinister motives, there is all the freedom for communists or leftists across the world for such anti national expressions,” Kangana said in a post on X.

‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’

The Mandi MP was, perhaps, referring to Netflix series – ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ – which has been accused of allegedly shifting the blame away from Pakistani terrorists involved in the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight.

The Netflix Content Head has been summoned on September 3 by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (IB Ministry), over the controversy surrounding the platform's 'IC814' web series, news agency ANI said.

“…but as a nationalist no OTT platform allows us to make films that revolves around the integrity and unity of Bharat, it seems censorship is only for some of us who don’t want tukde of this nation and make films on historic facts. It’s hugely demotivating and unjust,” Kangana said in her post.

Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale Dialogue

Why has the ‘Emergency’ triggered a row? The objection has been majorly from Sikh groups. They argue that the trailer of the movie released earlier misrepresents their community, particularly through its portrayal of Khalistani separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

The trailer, according to reports, has a dialogue attributed to Bhindranwale that says, “Your party wants votes, and we want Khalistan.” This dialogue has apparently annoyed Sikh groups, who assert that Bhindranwale never made such a demand.

Bhindranwale was the leading figure of the Khalistan movement, although he did not personally advocate for a separate Sikh nation.

‘Historically inaccurate’

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) also objected to the movie. The Committee reportedly sent letters to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, seeking a ban on the film. The committee has argued that the film could incite hatred and further misrepresent the Sikh community.

Shiromani Akali Dal had also sent a legal notice to the Board seeking to stop the release of the film, claiming it may "incite communal tensions" and "spread misinformation".

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) also issued a legal notice demanding the removal of the trailer and a public apology, citing that the portrayal of Bhindranwale in the movie is ‘historically inaccurate.’

The film board has asked for more cuts, according to a report in NDTV quoting sources. The board has said it would take into account the sentiments of every community, the report said.

Earlier political rows

Kangana, who won the Lok Sabha elections 2024 as a BJP candidate from Mandi in her home state of Himachal Pradesh, has triggered political rows with her statements even before her ‘Emergency’ movie.

A vocal supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi even before joining the BJP ahead of the 2024 general elections, Kangana sparked a row with her thoughts on the freedom of India.

At a TV channel summit, in November 2021, she had said that the freedom India got in 1947 was a 'bheek' or 'alms'. She, in fact, said the citizens of India got real freedom in 2014, when Narendra Modi was sworn in as Prime Minister for the first time.