Emergency Postponed: Manoj Muntashir Urges Sikhs to Watch Film First, Asks ‘Did Indira Gandhi Die in a Road Accident?’
Kangana Ranaut’s film Emergency has been creating controversy ever since the announcement. It has now intensified, leading to its postponement from the original release date of September 6. The delay is due to the film still awaiting certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The film has sparked a heated debate, with several Sikh groups protesting its portrayal of historical events and figures. Recently, Kangana shared a video on Instagram featuring the film’s lyricist, Manoj Muntashir, addressing the ongoing controversy. In the video, Muntashir defends the film and urges the Sikh community to watch it in full before making any judgments. He explains that the film’s depiction of Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the portrayal of her assassins as Sikhs should be understood in its historical context, not as an attack on the Sikh community. Muntashir stresses that the film is the result of the hard work of over 500 crew members and deserves to be judged fairly.
He questions the criticism of the film’s portrayal of historical events, arguing, “The film shows the brutal assassination of Indira Gandhi. Are we supposed to believe she died in a road accident?” Muntashir challenges the idea that depicting historical figures as they were is disrespectful, asking why the Sikh community would be fearful of the film’s portrayal.
Watch Manoj Muntashir’s Video:
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Additionally, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued notices to Kangana Ranaut, the Central government, and the CBFC following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenges the film. The PIL claims that Emergency contains scenes that violate the fundamental rights of Sikhs and demands an apology from Ranaut and the filmmakers, along with compensation to a Sikh charitable organization.
This controversy is not unique, as other recent Hindi films, like The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story, have also faced backlash for their portrayal of sensitive topics, highlighting the challenges filmmakers face when dealing with historical and political themes.
