The actress recently addressed the controversies surrounding the movie and said directing the drama was a ‘wrong decision’. Emergency has been embroiled in controversies, much like her previous film, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.
Initially set to hit theatres in September last year, the film’s release was stalled by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) due to certification issues. Punjab’s Shiromani Akali Dal also sent a legal notice to prevent its release, citing concerns over communal tensions and misinformation.
In an exclusive interview with News18, Kangana said, “I was scared. I did feel that it was a wrong decision to release it in theatres. I thought that I could’ve gotten a better deal on OTT and that would mean that I didn’t have to go through any censorship. I was scared that my film would be dissected, aur pata nahi kya kya nikaal denge aur kya rakhenge.”Kangana stated that nothing would happen to her film because of BJP’s national rule, adding, “I felt like I made wrong decisions and choices on many levels. The first one is wanting to direct the film. I took things for granted thinking that we don’t have the Congress government in the centre.”
In the same conversation, the actress has expressed her reluctance to make another political film, citing the difficulties she faced with Emergency. “I’m never making a political film again. I’m not very motivated. It’s so difficult to make one. I now understand why not many people do it, especially on real-life characters,” she said.
Despite the challenges the actress went through during the making of the film, Kangana remained composed but admitted to feeling frustrated and helpless.
“I never lost my cool on this set. If you were the producer, who would you lose your cool on? (laughs) As a director, one can fight with the producer, but if you’re doubling up as both, who can you fight with? I wanted to say out loud that I need more money and I’m not happy. Par main kahaan jaake roti? Kisko kya bolti? I was struggling to make this film. Mujhe besahara feel hota tha. I used to feel frustrated. But who I do show that frustration to? There was no one,” she added.
She further revealed that her family, especially her sister Rangoli Chandel, bore the brunt of her frustration. “When you have a distressing job like mine, you’ll end up taking your family for granted. Koi toh hona chahiye jisko aap kuch bhi bol sakte ho. Sometimes, I wouldn’t even be speaking to them. I believe it’s a big privilege to go home and not talk to anyone if you don’t want to. It’s a privilege to have a family who you can be yourself with,” she added.
Emergency is finally set to hit the screens on January 17. The upcoming film tells the story of the Indian Emergency of 1975. It stars Kangana as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, alongside an ensemble cast, including Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, and Mahima Chaudhry.
