Kangana Ranaut's Emergency To Be BANNED In Telangana? Sikh Group Allege Film Portrays Them As 'Terrorists'

Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming movie Emergency is likely to be banned in Telangana. On Thursday, government adviser Mohammad Ali Shabbir revealed that the state Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has assured Sikh community leaders that the state government would consider banning the release of the film. This comes after a delegation of 18 members from the Telangana Sikh Society, led by former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Tejdeep Kaur Menon, met Shabbir at the Secretariat and requested him to ban Emergency.

The delegation also submitted a report and expressed concerns over the portrayal of the Sikh community in the film. They claimed that the film depicts Sikhs as terrorists and anti-nationals. They further called it “offensive” and alleged that the release of Emergency might damage the community’s image.

Following the meeting with the delegation, Shabbir requested the chief minister to consider banning the film in Telangana. A final decision will be taken after considering the legal advice.

On Thursday, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Delhi unit also urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to stop the release of Emergency. They accused the film of spreading misinformation and alleged that it has the potential to incite communal tension.

Prior to this, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akhal Takht also demanded an immediate ban on the film, claiming it tries to “character assassinate” Sikhs by creating a narrative against them. SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, addressed a press conference when he sought an FIR against Ranaut and expressed objection against the film.

Kangana Ranaut announced Emergency in 2021 but later clarified that even though it is a political drama, it is not Indira Gandhi’s biopic. The actress is not just playing the lead in the film but is also directing it. Besides Kangana, Emergency also stars Anupam Kher, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry and Shreyas Talpade among others. While Shreyas Talpade will be seen playing the role of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Anupam Kher will be seen as Jayaprakash Narayan. Late actor Satish Kaushik will also be seen as Former Deputy Prime Minister of India, Jagjivan Ram.