Chandigarh Court’s Notice To Kangana Ranaut Over ‘Emergency’ Controversy

Mumbai: A district court in Chandigarh has issued a notice to actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over her controversial film ‘Emergency’. Advocate Ravinder Singh Bassi, former president of the District Bar Association, filed an application claiming the actor tried to tarnish the image of Sikhs in her film.

Besides showcasing a wrong image of Sikhs, the film features several false allegations against the community, the advocate said, seeking to register a case against Ms Ranaut.

The court will take up the matter again on December 5.

Ms Ranaut’s directorial venture “Emergency” has been embroiled in a massive controversy after Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, accused it of misrepresenting the community and twisting historical facts.

She recently said she was forced to sell off her property in Mumbai after the movie’s release was postponed due to delay in getting a censor certificate. There have been reports that the actor sold her bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra for Rs 32 crore.

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“I had staked my personal property on this film, which was supposed to come in theatres. Now it is not releasing, so the property is there, to be sold off in difficult times,” said the actor who essays the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in the movie.

The political drama, written by Ms Ranaut and co-produced by Zee Studios and the actor’s Manikarnika films, is based on the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975. It also features Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, Mahima Chaudhry and Milind Soman in pivotal roles.

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The film was set to release last year, but it was postponed to June this year. It was postponed again to September 6 due to Lok Sabha elections. But with no approval from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), it is not clear when the movie will hit the screens.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises approached the Bombay High Court earlier this month, seeking its intervention to clear the film for release. But the court refused to grant any urgent relief.