What the CBFC Demanded from Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Emergency’ Before Approval?

Kangana Ranaut’s highly anticipated film, ‘Emergency,’ which explores a pivotal moment in Indian history, has faced a tumultuous journey leading up to its release. Before its official launch, the film had to navigate through a series of hurdles, including delays and controversies.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially granted Emergency a ‘UA’ rating, indicating that it is suitable for children above 12 when accompanied by an adult. However, this approval came with specific conditions. As reported by The Sunday Express, the CBFC mandated three significant edits and requested the filmmakers to provide factual sources for certain historical quotes.

Among the contentious elements were statements attributed to historical figures such as US President Richard Nixon and Winston Churchill. Nixon’s remarks about Indian women and Churchill’s comment on Indians “breeding like rabbits” were among the quotes under scrutiny. The board also required the filmmakers to revise scenes that depicted graphic violence, such as a soldier hitting an infant and the beheading of three women during an attack on Bangladeshi refugees.

Additionally, the CBFC requested that an expletive uttered by a crowd following a leader’s death be replaced and that a family’s surname be altered in one of the dialogues. Furthermore, the filmmakers were asked to substantiate their research with credible sources and to obtain permissions for using archival footage from Operation Bluestar.

Directed and led by Kangana Ranaut, ‘Emergency’ features an ensemble cast including Anupam Kher, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry, and Shreyas Talpade. Shreyas Talpade is cast as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, while Anupam Kher portrays Jayaprakash Narayan. The late actor Satish Kaushik also plays Former Deputy Prime Minister Jagjivan Ram. Kangana’s dual role as both lead actress and director underscores her multifaceted involvement in the project.

Despite the CBFC’s conditional approval, ‘Emergency’ has faced backlash from various quarters. Sikh organizations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akhal Takht, have raised objections, accusing the film of misrepresenting the Sikh community. They argue that the film aims to “character assassinate” Sikhs by presenting a biased narrative against them. These allegations have led to calls for an immediate ban on the film.