Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
After multiple delays, Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency is finally hitting theatres today. The Kangana-directed film, which also stars her in the lead role of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, faced stiff challenges from the Censor Board, and had to shift the release dates a few times before zeroing in on January 17. She had to run from pillar to post to get the film released despite being a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh. In contrast, The Sabarmati Report, which was based on the Godhra violence of 2002, got not just a smoother entry to the theatres, but a lot of concessions from BJP-ruled states, and top-tier members of the political class. When asked about the difference in this treatment, on Shubhankar Mishra’s Unplugged podcast, the actor-filmmaker-politician said, “In my life, I have always been at the receiving end of this lone warrior kind of a situation. Even when I was struggling in the industry, I saw many girls going up the ladder due to their family support or depending on whom they were dating. For me, life has always been a struggle.”
ALSO READ: First show of Kangana Ranaut-starrer ‘Emergency’ cancelled in many theatres across Punjab
Calling herself a ‘soft target’ Kangana also spoke about how her statements about the farmer protests and Khalistan, made BJP supremo JP Nadda do something he had never done before. “It was the first time, he put out a statement that the party doesn’t align with my statements. Honestly, it wasn’t embarrassing. I don’t see favouritism in the party. The Godhra film might just be an exception,” said Kangana, who also pointed out how BJP Minister Nitin Gadkari had nice things to say about the film.
Meanwhile, she also addressed the changeover of Vikrant Massey, the star of The Sabarmati Report, with whom she had a feud of sorts a few years earlier and even termed a ‘cockroach’. “When I saw The Sabarmati Report, I told him that I liked his work. We must understand that every person has a potential to change. We shouldn’t cage them or label them. Doing that is the biggest toxicity in Hindi cinema. They want to label everyone, and then just stop interacting or communicating with people not aligning to them,” said Kangana, who clarified that she isn’t one to carry baggage, but doesn’t refrain from calling spade a spade. “Who am I to judge him or anyone? Whatever capacity they are engaging with me, I will respond accordingly. There is a chance that he (Vikrant) can go back to feeling the way he did before the film. But having said that, it is much better than being so strict with your ideology that it makes you feel constricted and caged.”
Kangana had commented on Vikrant a few years ago on social media. When actor Yami Gautam had shared photos of her all-red bridal look, Vikrant had commented, “Pure and pious like Radhe Maa”. Kangana had responded with, “Kahan se nikla ye cockroach. Laao meri chappal (Where did this cockroach come from, bring my slippers).”
Kangana also opened up about feeling constricted and caged when it came to the release issues of Emergency, and shared that she contemplated taking the OTT route instead of bringing the film to the theatres. “There was an increased level of frustration about why I took the challenge of releasing the film in theatres. If I had released it on any digital platform, my film wouldn’t have been subject to so much scrutiny, right? You can show anything on OTT. Now, more than the success of the film, we have reached the point where we are celebrating the fact that the film has finally released. That is a big success.”
Backed by Kangana, Emergency also stars Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhary, and Satish Kaushik in pivotal role.
Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.
