Emergency film release stalled to avoid impact on BJP poll prospects: Zee to Bombay HC

Zee Entertainment, the co-producer of Kangana Ranaut’s film Emergency, has told the Bombay High Court that the censor clearance is being delayed because the BJP is sceptical that the film may affect its prospects in the upcoming Haryana elections, Bar and Bench reported.

Kangana Ranaut, who is also the co-producer and director of the film, is playing the role of former PM Indira Gandhi in the film which was earlier scheduled to hit the screens on September 6. The release was stalled after a PIL was filed by members of the Sikh community before the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which had directed the Central Board of Film Certification to address representations made by the community.

Zee Studios had then moved the Bombay High Court seeking relief. It stated that they were informed of the film's certification on August 29, but the CBFC failed to provide a physical copy of the certificate. The court had reportedly told the CBFC to consider all directions by September 18 without granting relief to the makers.

On Thursday, appearing for Zee, senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond reportedly said the film is seen as an anti-Sikh film and there is a sizable population of Sikhs in Haryana. He said the co-producer is a BJP MP and “they do not want a film which hurts the sentiments of certain communities by a BJP member”, Bar and Bench reported.

But the argument did not find favour with the bench of Justices BP Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla even though they took strong exception to the CBFC delay. The court said the CBFC need not worry about law and order implications while certifying a movie and a movie should not be viewed in the same manner as a documentary lest it curbs creative freedom.

The remarks came after Abhinav Chandrachud, appearing for CBFC, told the court that the censor board is reviewing representations. “There are some scenes in the movie wherein a person, a polarising figure of particular religious persuasion is cutting a deal with political parties. We have to see whether this is factually accurate,” Chandrachud said, according to Bar and Bench.

The court eventually directed CBFC’s reviewing committee to take a decision on the release of the film by September 25.

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