Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency has finally been released in theatres and it can easily be said that that wait was worth it. The historical biographical drama in which Kangana Ranaut essays the role of India’s first-ever female Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is an important movie for today’s youth as it showcases the difficult period of India when the state of Emergency was declared in the country.
However, the film not only shows the period of ‘Emergency,’ it also showcases the life of Indira Gandhi. The film promises to transport you back into the era and you will get to witness the glimpses into Indira Gandhi’s rise as a leader, her political strategies, decisions, and the challenges faced by her, both in her personal and professional life.
Stellar Performances
While Kangana Ranaut’s portrayal of Indira Gandhi will surely give you goosebumps, the film also features some other standout performances. A special mention to Vishak Nair who surprises with a nuanced portrayal of Indira Gandhi’s younger son, Sanjay Gandhi, in the political drama. Anupam Kher as Jayaprakash Narayan and Shreyas Talpade as Atal Bihari Vajpayee outstandingly portray the roles in the utmost dignified manner.
However, Mahima Chaudhary, as Pupul Jayakar seemed underutilized, considering the fact that Pupul was Indira Gandhi’s confidant and a very significant part of her life. The presence of the late Satish Kaushik Jagjivan Ram might make you emotional.
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Hits and Misses
The story of Indira Gandhi is so eventful and intriguing and the way Kangana has objectively portrayed it is outstanding but music by G.V. Prakash Kumar and Arko was a hit and miss. A sudden musical intervention during a pivotal moment in Parliament seemed forced in fact borderline funny.
A scene where all the characters start singing as they prepare for war in 1971 when East Pakistan seceded from Pakistan to become the independent state of Bangladesh. Was it only a BGM, it would have been an added treat.
The film also lacks in its direction and screenplay. We all know that Kangana is not merely an actress but a passionate storyteller. However, it seems like she needs to brush up on her directing skills as the storytelling in ‘Emergency’ feels rushed. It looked like Kangana Ranaut tried to encapsulate everything within the span of 2 hours to 26 minutes. The screenplay by Ritesh Shah did not help as it also seemed fast-paced and lacked stability.
Emergency Movie Review
Is Emergency a Propaganda movie?
While there are many preconceived notions about ‘Emergency’ being a propaganda movie, the best part about the film is that Kangana Ranaut has made an unbiased movie on Indira Gandhi and only stated the facts as she mentioned during the trailer launch.
‘Emergency’ is far from being a propaganda film as Kangana has portrayed Indira Gandhi in the utmost respectful and objective manner. If stating facts can also be propaganda then the intentions of people calling it propaganda need to be checked. Throughout the movie, you will not feel any agenda as you will be so engrossed in witnessing Indira Gandhi’s political career and personal life.
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Verdict
While the film has its flaws, ‘Emergency’ brings an essential chapter of Indian history to the silver screen. Kangana’s portrayal of Indira Gandhi and the film’s effort to maintain objectivity make it a must watch as it educates the audience about an important period of Indian history leaving a lasting impression.