The release of the highly anticipated biographical drama ‘Emergency’, starring Kangana Ranaut as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has been thrown into uncertainty. Zee Entertainment Enterprises, the film’s co-producer, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking a directive to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue a censor certificate for the film.
The petition filed in the court argues that the CBFC has arbitrarily and illegally withheld the certification, despite the film’s scheduled release on September 6th. The petition alleges that the CBFC was ready with the certificate but has not issued it, causing an unwarranted delay in the film’s release.
This controversy stems from objections raised by various Sikh organizations, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, who claim that the film misrepresents the Sikh community and distorts historical facts. They have accused the film of portraying the Sikh community in a negative light and have demanded changes to the film’s content.
The petition mentioned before the division bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla, who have agreed to hear the case on Wednesday, September 4th.
Kangana Ranaut, who has directed and co-produced the film besides playing the lead role, has publicly accused the CBFC of stalling the certification process in order to delay the release. The actress has maintained that the film is a true and accurate depiction of historical events and has expressed her disappointment over the objections raised by the Sikh organizations.
The Bombay High Court’s decision on the case will determine the fate of ‘Emergency’ and whether it will be released as scheduled or face further delays.
