Kangana Ranaut's Emergency Release Delayed Amid CBFC Clearance Issues and Rising Controversies

Kangana Ranaut’s highly anticipated film Emergency has faced a setback, with its release being postponed due to a delay in certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The film, which Ranaut directed and stars in, has stirred controversies that have seemingly caused the CBFC to hold back on granting it a certificate. The delay has left fans eagerly waiting for a new release date, which has yet to be announced.

In a video shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), Kangana expressed her concerns regarding the certification process. “There are rumours doing the rounds that our film, Emergency, has been granted Censor certificate. This is not true. In fact, our film had been cleared but certification has been stopped because many threats were coming in. Death threats. The Censor Board members are getting threats. We are under pressure not to show the assassination of Indira Gandhi, not to show Bhindranwale, not to show the Punjab riots. I don’t know what will be left to show then… This is unbelievable for me and I am very sorry for the state of things in this country,” she said.

A source close to the CBFC, quoted by The Indian Express, mentioned that the certification process might take longer due to the sensitive nature of the film. “We have nothing to do with the film’s release date. That has been announced beforehand, before the grant of certification,” a government officer stated, choosing to remain anonymous.

The controversy surrounding the film intensified after the release of its trailer. The trailer depicted Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a Khalistan leader, pledging support to Indira Gandhi’s party for the creation of a separate Sikh state. This portrayal did not sit well with the Shiromani Akali Dal in Delhi, who subsequently sent a legal notice to the CBFC, demanding that the film be halted due to its depiction of Sikhs.

Emergency is a political drama that delves into the life of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Kangana Ranaut portrays the late politician, marking her solo directorial debut. The film features a stellar cast, including Shreyas Talpade as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Anupam Kher as Jayaprakash Narayan, Mahima Chaudhry as Pupul Jayakar, and Milind Soman as Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.