Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Emergency’: CBFC Wants These Cuts, Insertions & Changes Before Release

By OB Bureau On Sep 27, 2024

New Delhi: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has finally cleared actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut’s film Emergency for a U/A certification, but with 13 changes, many of which pertain to scenes found objectionable by Sikh groups for allegedly misrepresenting their community and faith.

From the removal of a scene where Sikhs are shown opening fire on a group of non-Sikhs in front of a bus to a dialogue attributed to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a key figure in the growing separatist Khalistan movement at the time. Here is the list of cuts, insertions, and modifications sought by the Board to release the film in cinemas across the country:

Disclaimer

The revising committee of the CBFC, which re-examined the entire film in light of the demands made by Sikh groups, has asked for a disclaimer to be inserted at the beginning of the film, stating that the movie is “inspired by true events” and is a “dramatic transformation”. “We want it to be clear to the audience that this is a dramatised version of events so that everything presented in there is not taken for the absolute truth,” said a source, who did not wish to be identified.

Jawaharlal Nehru

In a scene during the first 10 minutes of the film, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is heard alluding to the fact that China had cut off Assam from India. The Board has asked filmmakers to show the factual source of this information. “There are historians on the revising committee of CBFC and they don’t recall this ever happening,” the above-cited source said.

Bhindrawale

At 1 hour and 52 minutes into the film, Bhindranwale is heard saying to Sanjay Gandhi, “Tawadi Party nu vote chaide ne, te sanu chaindayye Khalistan (your party wants votes, we want Khalistan)”. The CBFC wants this dialogue to be dropped as it suggests Bhindranwale was striking a deal with Sanjay Gandhi. Additionally, the filmmakers have been asked to provide a factual source to support this claim.

“There were groups that objected to referring to Bhindranwale as ‘sant’ and others who alleged he was being misrepresented. So his name and references to him as a saint were requested to be removed from some scenes,” the above-cited sources told The Indian Express.

Violence

The Board has also asked the filmmakers to tone down the violence inflicted by Sikhs on non-Sikhs in one scene at 2 hours and 11 minutes into the film. It has requested the deletion of another scene where Sikhs are seen shooting non-Sikhs in front of a bus. These were among the scenes found objectionable by the Sikh groups that made representations against the film.

Operation Bluestar

Further, in a scene at 2 hours and 12 minutes into the film, Indira Gandhi and the then Army chief are shown discussing Operation Bluestar. The dialogue includes a line stating that the operation was meant to start on ‘Arjun Divas’, a day marking the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru who built the first Harmandir Sahib (the predecessor to today’s Golden Temple). The CBFC has asked the filmmakers to remove the reference to ‘Arjun Divas’, stating that “such a term does not exist in Sikh religious traditions”.

Static messages

The Board wants filmmakers to insert static messages for real footage being used in the film, wherever applicable.

Documentary proof

The filmmakers have been asked to submit documentary proof/evidence for all the stats, statements and references mentioned in the movie.

On Thursday, the lawyer representing Zee Entertainment requested time to take instructions on whether to accept the proposed cuts and changes. According to the government, the filmmakers now have three options: to accept and implement all the changes suggested by the CBFC, to make some changes while contesting others, or to challenge the CBFC’s decision in court. The matter is now scheduled for the next hearing on September 30.