Kangana Ranaut’s emergency faces a delay as the Bombay High Court directs the CBFC to decide on September 25

A still from the teaser of the movie ‘Emergency’.

In a major set-back for Kangana Ranaut’s actor-turned-politician film ‘Emergency’, the Bombay High Court on Thursday (September 19, 2024) directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to decide whether to release it or not. until September 25, 2024. With this decision of the Supreme Court, the filmmakers will further delay the release of the film in theaters, adding to their financial problems.

Things got interesting when the film’s producer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, on Thursday (September 19, 2024) told the Division Bench of Justices Burgess Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla of the Bombay High Court that Kangana Ranaut, who is an actor. , a filmmaker and politician who is a Member of Parliament from Mandi from June 2024 is facing difficulties at the behest of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP).

Representing Zee, senior lawyer Venkatesh Dhond submitted, “The CBFC has deliberately delayed the release of Emergency. The board wants the film to be released only after the elections in Haryana in October are over. Kangana Ranaut, the co-producer of the film, is a BJP MP and party (BJP) don’t want a film that upsets the sentiments of a certain community when there is an election. I can say that all this is happening at the behest of the ruling party BJP. They are looking at the overall interest and thus they don’t want this film to be released have been asked to maintain discipline but I don’t want to discuss it.

Hearing Mr. Dhond’s submission, Justice Colabawalla asked, “So you mean to say that it will affect the electoral decision of people who vote for BJP? Why would a person ruling a State want to thwart a film made by his own members? If this State is ruled by some other opposition party , we can consider. Why are people being ridiculed in almost every movie. So what does it mean that the ruling party is acting against MP itself?

Appearing at the CBFC, advocate Abhinav Chandrachud said the CBFC has not taken a final call on the film’s certification because of objections to the film’s release by the Sikh community. “The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered the Board to consider the representation of certain communities. Considering, the Board has sent it to the review committee. The Chairman has sent the matter to the review committee. They cannot decide suo moto.

Expressing displeasure over the delay in the film’s release certificate, the Bench said, “The CBFC must take a decision one way or the other. You must have the courage to say this film cannot be released. At least we will appreciate your bravery and courage. We will not wants the CBFC to sit on the fence.Make a single decision on September 25.

Mr. Chandrachud also pointed to certain scenes in the film and said that a person who is a polarizing figure of a certain religious persuasion appears to be ‘cutting a deal’ with a political party and the CBFC revision committee should ensure factual accuracy.

Justice Colabawalla said, “This is not a documentary. Do you think people in our country are so naive and will believe whatever is shown in the film? What about creative freedom? There are billions of internet users in our country. The problem is that they are protesting the release of the film. this has to be stopped, otherwise what about creative freedom and freedom of speech and expression in our country?Creative freedom and freedom of expression cannot be restricted and the Censor Board cannot refuse to certify the film based on concerns about law and order.

Adjourning the matter for further hearing on September 25, 2024, Justice Colabawalla directed the CBFC, “You have to decide by September 25 whether you want to release the film or not. We will respect whatever stand the CBFC takes. We will decide the matter even if you say that the film will not be released.

“Zee Entertainment Enterprises in its petition filed on September 3, 2024, asserted that without certification, the film cannot be screened in theaters. This hurdle will irreparably harm the entire film team and people associated with the film,” the petition said. mentioned. It also violates the fundamental right to freedom of speech and the right to practice a profession under Article 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g).

Emergency, a biographical political drama, explores the pivotal historical period of the declaration of a national Emergency in India in 1975. The film’s trailer was released on August 14, and has garnered over 3,00,000 views on YouTube. Shortly after the trailer’s release, public interest litigations were filed in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, seeking to stop the release of the film, and alleged that the film misrepresented the Sikh community.