Directing Emergency movie ‘wrong decision’, Kangana Ranaut says ahead of release date, 'I thought I could get away…'

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut recently reflected on the challenges she faced while making her second directorial venture, Emergency. Speaking candidly to News18 Showsha, she admitted to making several mistakes, including choosing to direct the movie.

“It was a wrong decision to release it in theatres. I could have got a better deal on OTT and didn’t have to go through this censorship. My film will now be dissected. God knows what they’ll keep and what they’ll chop off,” said the Queen actress.

“I felt I made wrong decisions, wrong choices on many levels: firstly, by wanting to direct this film. I took it for granted that (it’d be seamless) since we didn’t have a Congress government…I thought I could get away by making a film on emergency. But, no such thing happened,” added the BJP MP.

Emergency movie controversies

The movie, which is about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, focuses on India’s political history during the Emergency era. It faced criticism and legal issues. The Shiromani Akali Dal raised objections, claiming it could incite communal tensions while the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially stalled its release over censorship concerns.

Although it was originally slated to hit theatres in September 2024, the film’s release was postponed to January 17, 2025, after meeting certification requirements.

Kangana revealed in the interview that the film’s production, which took place during the pandemic and amid other challenges like the Assam floods, had left her feeling frustrated and helpless.

No more political movies

In the exclusive interview, Kangana confessed that choosing to direct a political film was a misstep. She underestimated the complexities of tackling such a sensitive subject and admitted she would avoid making political films in the future.

“I’m never making a political film again,” she said.

Anupam Kher, who accompanied Kangana in the interview, said, “Never say never!” Kher is a part of the movie. Actor Shreyas Talpade was also a part of the interview.