Emergency Movie Review: A Film That Fails India’s History??

If anyone wants to learn how a perfectly good film can be ruined, they should meet Kangana Ranaut. When Kangana's first look from the film Emergency was released, everyone was saying that one of the best acting performances in the history of Indian cinema was about to be seen. The release date of the film has been postponed so many times that maybe Kangana herself has forgotten it. Nowadays, films are judged through the lens of propaganda and personal life, so Kangana’s film was already defamed in the market. Making a film on a subject like Indira Gandhi with an actor of Kangana Runout’s calibre meant uplifting the honour of Bollywood. But then the story took a twist, people started saying the film was made to portray Indira Gandhi in a bad light. It was made not for the entertainment of the audience, but for some other purpose.

Honestly, the situation at the box office for Dhaakad was similar; even films like Thalaivii did not get public support. But in both those films, no one could complain about Kangana’s performance. However, after Emergency, I have a long list of complaints. Acting was fine, but sitting in the director’s chair was probably the biggest mistake of Kangana’s life, which was clear from the start. Many of us already know the story of Emergency; there is nothing new to see here. The only difference could have been the presentation of the actors. Characters like Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and many others were getting a chance to be seen again on the big screen. But nowadays the market is flooded with such films, so high quality ones don’t emerge easily.

This is the biggest reason Kangana’s film suffered. If this film had released four years earlier, at its right time, people would definitely have taken interest. At least they would have come out to boycott it! Yes, the film is a total political drama, so only those who have some interest in this genre will understand it, while others may not even think of enjoying it. But if you judge Emergency as a non-Kangana Ranaut film, you will really be shocked because Indira Gandhi’s character is not portrayed as everyone expected. The film has many surprises where you can judge Indira Gandhi from both good and bad angles. You may agree that Kangana has focused on storytelling. There are some scenes where Indira sees a demon inside herself, imagining this shows Kangana’s creativity.

But the drawback is that Kangana is not an expert director, so the intended impact of some scenes may not reach the audience. If anyone watches the film, the best part, according to me, is the presentation of Indira Gandhi’s personal life, not her political career. I think the film should have been named Indira instead of Emergency. Indira’s character has been played in a completely different way. The only problem is that the story chosen is something that has been seen, heard, and told many times before. That is why Kangana’s efforts go to waste, and the film fails to excite the audience.

Emergency deserves two stars out of five. First, Kangana’s one-woman hard work, honest efforts, and film selection were all there. Second, the portrayal of Indira Gandhi’s political career alongside her personal life is fresh and impressive. The negatives include cold direction, trying to show too many things in one film, repetitive cinema, lack of excitement and thrilling scenes. Third, the impact of big-name supporting cast members is not as strong as it should be. When the public lifts someone, it can also bring them down. But the opportunity will come again. Time To Restart!