Kangana Ranaut calls it a 'mistake' to direct 'Emergency'
What's the story
Kangana Ranaut's much-awaited film Emergency, initially set for a September 2024 release, encountered major roadblocks.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) raised censorship issues, and Punjab's Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party filed a case against its release, citing concerns about communal unrest and misinformation.
Speaking to News18, Ranaut confessed she was "scared" and wondered why she even decided to release the film in theaters.
Alternative platform
Ranaut considered OTT release to avoid censorship issues
Ranaut disclosed that she considered an OTT release for Emergency to avoid censorship hurdles.
"I was scared. I did feel that it was a wrong decision to release it in theaters. I thought that I could've gotten a better deal on OTT and that would mean that I didn't have to go through any censorship," she said.
She further added, "I was scared that my film would be dissected aur pata nahi kya kya nikaal denge aur kya rakhenge."
Directorial regret
Ranaut expressed regret over directing 'Emergency'
Ranaut also regretted her decision to direct the film.
She confessed, "I felt like I made wrong decisions...on many levels...the first one being wanting to direct the film."
"I took things for granted thinking that we don't have the Congress government in the Centre. I thought that I would get away by making Emergency. But that didn't happen."
She added, "I was in despair. However, we fought the situation."
Censorship cooperation
'We had to edit some things out...'
Despite her initial reluctance to the CBFC's demanded cuts, Ranaut ultimately consented to a slightly trimmed version of Emergency.
"We've a lot of respect for government bodies and we cooperated with them. We had to edit some things out but that's not because they aren't true...It's just that we didn't want to hurt sentiments. We submitted all the necessary documents."
"They didn't find anything in the film offensive. They felt that it was unfair to stall its release."
Financial struggles
'Emergency' faced financial challenges, reveals Ranaut
Apart from censorship issues, Emergency also struggled with financial woes. Ranaut revealed that she had to sell one of her properties in Mumbai to get the film made.
"I never thought that I would battle such difficulties while creating a film," she admitted.
The film, set to release on January 17, stars Ranaut as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It also features Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, Mahima Chaudhry, Milind Soman, and Satish Kaushik in key roles.