Setback for Kangana Ranaut, 'Emergency' remains on hold

On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court refused to direct the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue a certificate to the Kangana Ranaut-directed film "Emergency" and asked the body to decide on any objections or representations by September 18.

'Emergency', which is based on the life of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is written, directed and produced by Ranaut. The film was slated to hit the screens on September 6, but has been postponed after Sikh organisations raised concerns over the portrayal of Sikhs and the accuracy of historical facts.

The court said that it could not pass any direction to the CBFC as the Madhya Pradesh High Court had already ordered the censor board to decide the representations made by the Jabalpur Sikh Sangat, which has objected to the film's content and its trailer. "Judicial propriety demands such orders ought not to be passed. We, therefore, are unable to direct the CBFC to issue the certificate as sought by the petitioner. We, however, do not dispose of the present petition. We direct the CBFC to consider the objections," the bench said. The court, however, noted that a huge amount of money goes into making a film and the matter could not be kept open-ended.

Despite the setback, the actor and BJP MP claimed a win in court. "High court has blasted censor for illegally withholding the certificate of #emergency," she said in a post on X.

The movie is co-produced by Ms Ranaut's Manikarnika Films and Zee Studios. With the film earlier scheduled for a release on September 6, Zee Entertainment Enterprises approached the Bombay High Court, seeking a direction to the Censor Board to issue the certificate that would clear the decks for the film's release. The setback in the Bombay High Court means that the movie is unlikely to be released anytime soon.