Kangana Ranaut's Emergency cleared: Why Sikh bodies demanded a ban on its release? Know the controversies

After weeks of delay, actor-politician Kangana Ranaut's movie 'Emergency' today received a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the BJP MP announced on Thursday. Kangana Ranaut's maiden solo directional political drama 'Emergency' was embroiled in controversies, forcing the actor to postpone the release. The release date of Kangana Ranaut's Emergency movie will be announced soon, the actor's tweet read.

"We have received the certificate for our movie Emergency," Ranaut wrote on her Instagram Stories. "We will be announcing the release date soon, thank you for your patience and support. @manikarnikafilms @zeestudiosofficial @nishantpitti," she added in her post.



Initially, Emergency was scheduled to hit the theatres across the country on September 6 but hit a roadblock as it failed to get a clearance certificate from the censor board. According to Indian laws, films in India have to get a nod from the censor board which is important for the public exhibition of movies.

Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' is based on the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975. Kangana is playing the role of Indira Gandhi in the movie. Other star casts of Emergency include Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade and Milind Soman and the movie is a dramatic representation of the 21-month period that is considered a dark phase for Indian democracy.

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It also touches upon Indira Gandhi's assassination and the Khalistan movement led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the 1980s. The script has been written by Kangana Ranaut and the film is co-produced by Zee Studios and the actor's Manikarnika Films.

Kangana Ranaut Emergency Movie Controversy

Kangana's 'Emergency' was caught up in controversy after Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, accused it of misrepresenting the community and getting facts wrong. Various Sikh organisations objected to its release and accused the film's makers of misrepresenting the Sikh community and twisting historical facts, with the trailer of the movie causing a huge furore in Punjab.

Earlier, SAD also sent a legal notice to the Board demanding to stop the release of the movie, claiming it may "incite communal tensions" and "spread misinformation".

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"Such depictions are not only misleading but also deeply offensive and damaging to the social fabric of Punjab and the entire nation. It is apparent that Ranaut has chosen the subject of the Emergency not to make a genuine political or historical statement against Congress, but rather to target the Sikh community," read the notice sent on August 27. It also claimed the movie portrays the Sikh community in an "unjust and negative light".

Top Sikh body sent legal notice to Emergency

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, an apex body managing Sikh religious institutions, also sent a legal notice to the film's producers, stating that 'Emergency' misrepresents Sikhs and historical facts. The troubles around the movie began just a week after the trailer was released with Akal Takht, highest Sikh body, and SGPC demanding an immediate ban on Emergency.

SGPC secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal also shot off a letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the CBFC, according to a report in news agency PTI. The trailer had "anti-Sikh" scenes and this has "deeply hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community", he said.

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"The matter pertains to not just Sikhs, but also concerns of harmony in the country," he was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.

Sources in the government said some religious organisations have raised concerns about the film. "Religious sentiments cannot be hurt. There is some sensitive content in the movie," a source said, adding that the Centre was seriously looking at the concerns.

Also, Sarabjit Singh Khalsa, who was elected as an independent MP from Faridkot this year in Lok Sabha polls, took to Facebook to share that the film seemed to be portraying Sikhs in a wrong light, and this could create tension among communities in Punjab.

Kangana Ranaut's response

The actor-filmmaker had expressed disappointment over the delay of the movie's release. Kangana Ranaut said there is "pressure on us not to depict the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Bhindrawale, and the Punjab riots in the film".

"There is pressure on us to not show the assassination of Mrs Gandhi, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and the Punjab riots. I don't know what we will show then…" she had said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "This is unbelievable time for me and I am very sorry for this state of things in this country," the actor wrote. Ranaut had accused the film body of stalling certification to delay the release.

Weeks after being stuck in controversy, Zee Entertainment Enterprises approached the Bombay High Court in September, seeking its intervention to clear the film for release. Last month, the CBFC told the Bombay High Court on Monday that Ranaut had agreed to the cuts suggested by the board in the movie.

(With agency inputs)