Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming movie Emergency might be banned in Telangana. On Thursday, government adviser Mohammad Ali Shabbir shared that the state’s Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy, has assured Sikh community leaders that the government would consider banning the film. This discussion happened after a delegation of 18 members from the Telangana Sikh Society, led by former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Tejdeep Kaur Menon, met Shabbir at the Secretariat. They requested him to stop the release of Emergency.
The delegation also submitted a report expressing their concerns about how the Sikh community is portrayed in the film. They claimed that the movie shows Sikhs as terrorists and anti-nationals, which they found offensive and damaging to the community’s image.
After meeting with the delegation, Shabbir asked the chief minister to consider banning the film in Telangana. A final decision will be made after seeking legal advice.
In addition, the Delhi unit of Shiromani Akali Dal urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to stop the film’s release, accusing it of spreading misinformation and potentially inciting communal tensions.
Earlier, both the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akhal Takht also demanded an immediate ban on the film, claiming it tries to tarnish the image of Sikhs by creating a negative narrative. SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami even called for an FIR against Kangana Ranaut and raised objections against the film during a press conference.
Kangana Ranaut announced Emergency in 2021, clarifying later that, while it is a political drama, it is not a biopic of Indira Gandhi. Besides playing the lead role, Ranaut is also directing the movie. The film features Anupam Kher, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry, and Shreyas Talpade, among others. Shreyas Talpade will portray Atal Bihari Vajpayee, while Anupam Kher will play Jayaprakash Narayan. The late actor Satish Kaushik will appear as Jagjivan Ram, the former Deputy Prime Minister of India.
