Emergency

<p>Following India’s independence, Indira Gandhi rises within the Congress Party, initially positioned as a puppet by the Syndicate. She asserts her authority by opposing their stance on and engaging with global powers, gradually consolidating control with some support from the opposition. Her decisive leadership during the earns her nationwide popularity. However, a 1975 verdict by the Allahabad High Court invalidates her election, prompting her to declare a , citing threats to democracy. Civil liberties are suspended, the press is censored, and opposition leaders are jailed. Her son gains influence during this period, implementing controversial programs such as forced sterilizations and slum demolitions. On 15 August 1975, Indira prepares to end the emergency but backs down following the in . Eventually, after consulting philosopher with and recognizing the harm caused, she lifts the emergency in 1977 and calls for elections, which result in a defeat for the Congress and her brief arrest. Years later, during a famine, she visits a neglected village and personally promises aid, restoring her public image and leading to her political comeback. The narrative follows her personal losses, including Sanjay Gandhi’s death in a plane crash, and rising unrest in Punjab under Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Refusing to remove her Sikh bodyguards despite warnings, she is . The film concludes with her final speech in Odisha, where she declares her life’s purpose was not to rule India but to serve it. The film features four songs composed by and one song composed by . The film score is composed by . Lyrics are written by . The first single titled “Singhasan Khali Karo” was released on 26 August 2024. Before its release, faced delays due to concerns raised by the (CBFC). The board demanded modifications to certain scenes, resulting in the postponement of the film’s release. The CBFC granted a on the condition that the filmmakers implement specific cuts and provide factual sources for controversial historical claims depicted in the movie. Initially announced to release in October–November 2023, the film was re-scheduled to release on 14 June 2024. It was again postponed due to the , scheduled to be released on 6 September 2024. On 30 August, Ranaut claimed the film was being denied a certificate by the , possibly due to external pressures. The has also considered a ban on the film due to objections raised by the community members. On 17 October, Ranaut shared on social media that the film had been finally cleared by the CBFC, and the film was released on 17 January 2025. On 11 January 2025, the inaugural special screening of the film took place in Nagpur, India. The event was attended by Union Minister and hosted by and . has been banned in due to escalating political tensions between India and Bangladesh. Officials have indicated that the decision was more related to the current diplomatic dynamics between the two nations rather than the film’s content. The film began streaming on from 17 March 2025. The film earned 2 crore on its opening day, aided by Cinema Lovers Day, when tickets were available at cheaper price. It made an additional 3 crore on the second day, and 3.7 crore on the third, for an opening weekend collection of 8.7 crore. As of 8 February 2025, had grossed (US$2.3 million) in India, with a further (US$250,000) overseas, for a worldwide total of (US$2.6 million), indicating a box-office bomb. On the website , 30% of 10 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.7/10. Dhaval Roy of gave the film 2.5 stars (out of 5) and wrote, ” is hindered by its overly dramatised approach and one-dimensional portrayals. The lack of narrative fluidity and context undermines the attempt to narrate an important chapter in Indian history.” of called it a “monumental muddle” that demonstrates how not to make a biographical drama, giving the film a rating of 1.5 out of 5 and writing, “The film wades through the early years of Indira Gandhi’s life pretty much in the manner that it treats the rest of it—hastily, superficially, and risibly.” of deemed it as a “confused” biopic that is weak in craft, giving the film 1.5 stars (out of 5) and writing, “For the most part, is more a scattershot caricature of time, place, and people, riddled with tacky computer graphics.” Nandini Ramnath of deemed it as “parodic” biopic and wrote, “Ranaut’s portrayal of Indira Gandhi itself raises the suspicion that the actor who has previously played iconic women leaders—the Queen of Jhansi, J. Jayalalithaa—is parodying the historical biopic this time round.” Angel Rani of gave the film 2 stars (out of 5) and dismissed Ranaut’s portrayal of Indira Gandhi as “meek mimicry”. Deven Sharma of gave the film three out of five, writing, “The film is well-directed by Kangana Ranaut, who, thanks to great makeup and prosthetics, looks exactly like Indira Gandhi in the first frame but later starts looking like herself.” of gave the film 3 stars, calling it a “pretty solid biopic of Indira Gandhi—packed with historical events, and human empathy”. Lachmi Deb Roy of gave the film three out of five, calling the film “a bold cinematic retelling of one of the most controversial periods in Indian politics”. She further wrote, “Kangana Ranaut shines as a director and a craftsman. Not just Kangana, Mahima Chaudhury, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade and Vishak Nair did justice to their roles in .” Rahul Desai of wrote, ” —which lacks both skill and self-awareness—is yet another brick in the wall of modern Bollywood.” Sana Farzeen of rated it 2.5 out of 5 and called it a rushed crash course on Indira Gandhi’s life that struggles to delve deeply into key historical events and character motivations. Utkarsh Mishra of gave the film a rating of 1 out of 5 and panned Ranaut’s portrayal, noting that her character is almost always teary-eyed and lacking in confidence with voice modulation that falls flat. Anuj Kumar of wrote, “Marked by uneven storytelling, the biopic comes across more as a selective recreation of archival material to serve today’s political narrative than a compelling take on the darkest chapter of Indian democracy.” Lekha Menon of gave the film 2 stars (out of 5) noting, “The film feels like a trying-to-be-a-serious school play rather than a refined, complex portrayal of power and corruption.” The film has faced significant backlash from organizations, particularly the (SGPC), which accuses it of distorting historical events related to the and defaming the . In response to these protests, several theaters in the Indian state of chose not to screen the film. Internationally, the film faced protests in the , where Sikh groups organized demonstrations against , disrupting its screening at some cinemas during its opening weekend. The Sikh Press Association stated that the film was seen as anti-Sikh, leading to canceled screenings in cities such as and . In April 2025, veteran journalist and author filed a lawsuit against Ranaut’s Manikarnika Films Pvt Ltd and , alleging breach of contract and defamation. Kapoor claimed that the film inaccurately portrayed historical events and misrepresented her 2015 book, , despite a contractual agreement that stipulated adherence to historical facts and prohibited the use of her name and book for promotional purposes without consent. Kapoor stated that her attempts to address these issues directly with the producers were unsuccessful, leading to legal action.</p>