September 4, 2024: The Bombay High Court has ruled against granting relief to the makers of Kangana Ranaut‘s film, Emergency, which is embroiled in controversy following objections from Sikh organizations. The court’s decision means that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cannot be compelled to issue a certificate for the film, as it would conflict with a Madhya Pradesh High Court ruling.
Despite the setback, Kangana Ranaut , who stars in and co-produces the film through her company Manikarnika Films, took to social media claiming a partial victory. On X (formerly Twitter), she asserted, “High court has blasted censor for illegally withholding the certificate of #Emergency.”
The film, set against the backdrop of the Emergency declared by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975, has faced strong opposition from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and other Sikh groups. They argue that the movie misrepresents Sikh history and have called for a ban. Following this backlash, sources suggest that the CBFC had initially approved the film with conditions but later withheld the certificate due to ongoing objections.
Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency Hits a Road Block
Zee Entertainment Enterprises, which co-produced the film with Manikarnika Films, sought the court’s intervention to force the CBFC to issue a certificate. The Bombay High Court’s refusal means that the film’s scheduled release on September 6 is unlikely to proceed as planned.
Zee’s counsel, Senior Advocate Venkatesh Dhond, argued that the CBFC’s role is limited to film censorship and should not be influenced by external law and order issues. He highlighted that the film had initially been approved for unrestricted public exhibition with some modifications. However, the certificate was later withheld following objections from Sikh communities.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court had earlier addressed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Sikh organizations but ultimately disposed of the petition after the CBFC confirmed the film had not yet received a certificate.
As the controversy unfolds, the Kangana Ranaut’s film’s future remains uncertain. The ongoing legal and public debates reflect the broader challenges of balancing creative expression with community sensitivities.