Emergency Movie Review Kangana Ranaut’s Is a Masterclass

Emergency Movie Review Kangana Ranaut’s Is a Masterclass

Emergency Movie Review: The film hastily, superficially, and risibly traverses the early years of Indira Gandhi’s life, much like how it handles the rest of her story.

New Delhi
Two things stand out in the long-delayed, chaotic film *Emergency*. First, the biopic’s ‘story’ is credited to director and lead actress Kangana Ranaut—a clear admission that the film mixes dashes of fiction into its lopsided view of Indira Gandhi’s life. Second, the movie indulges in a bewildering imaginative leap: a spectacle featuring Jayaprakash Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (played by Milind Soman) breaking into a rousing song. Thankfully, there’s no dance involved.

This musical interlude, meant to signify the nation’s readiness for the 1971 war to liberate East Pakistan and create Bangladesh, defies even the most willing suspension of disbelief. *Emergency* is littered with similarly jarring surprises.

A Simplistic Take on a Complex Era

The film dramatizes one of the darkest phases of Indian democracy—the imposition of the internal Emergency with strokes so broad that they could barely fit within the vast annals of Indraprastha. Despite its ambitious scope, Ritesh Shah’s screenplay reduces the story to a simplistic cradle-to-grave tale, rushing through Gandhi’s early years with the same haste and superficiality it applies to the rest of her life.

More hysteria than history defines *Emergency*. The film is divided into two broad segments: one focusing on Mrs. Gandhi’s lust for power and her favoritism toward her son Sanjay Gandhi (Vishak Nair), and the other chronicling her political comeback after her defeat and imprisonment in 1977.

Disclaimer and Dramatic Liberties

In what could be the most long-winded disclaimer in cinema history, the filmmakers cite a couple of books about Indira Gandhi and the Emergency as their sources, asserting that the film’s facts have been verified by experts. Yet, Kangana Ranaut takes numerous creative liberties with well-documented political events, invoking “dramatic purposes” to justify the deviations.

The film begins with a young Indira Gandhi seeking solace in her grandfather Motilal Nehru’s room, lamenting her unhappy childhood and strained relationships with her family. This sets the stage for her portrayal as a woman wielding immense power but lacking the strength typically associated with it.

A Shallow Portrait of Indira Gandhi

Kangana Ranaut’s performance as Indira Gandhi feels inadequate. Despite the iconic streaks of gray in her hair and attempts to embody the iron-willed leader, Ranaut’s Gandhi comes across as a giggly, petulant figure struggling to navigate the turbulent world of politics.

This shallow depiction reduces one of India’s most formidable leaders to a caricature. Famous lines like “Indira is India, India is Indira” are awkwardly and inaccurately inserted into the narrative.

Crass Caricatures and Missed Opportunities

Emergency is a battleground of caricatures. Anupam Kher as Jayaprakash Narayan, Shreyas Talpade as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Satish Kaushik as Babu Jagjivan Ram all deliver performances that feel forced and unconvincing. The script puts absurd words and actions into the mouths of these historical figures to emphasize the Prime Minister’s supposed moral decline.

The film’s casual approach to period detailing and its rudimentary performances detract from its potential to offer a meaningful perspective on this turbulent era. Instead, it lurches from one crisis to another, mirroring the chaos of its protagonist’s life without offering insight or coherence.

A Failed Attempt at Drama

The emergence of Sanjay Gandhi and his infamous policies such as the Turkman Gate demolition and forced sterilizations—are given due attention. However, the film’s attempts to dramatize Indira Gandhi’s inner turmoil, such as a Lady Macbeth-inspired scene where she repeatedly washes her hands, feel overwrought and unconvincing.

Even the film’s visuals, lensed by acclaimed Japanese cinematographer Tetsuo Nagata, fail to leave an impact due to the limitations of the production.

Verdict

Emergency is a poorly executed attempt at retelling a critical chapter in India’s history. Laden with historical inaccuracies, unconvincing performances, and a confused narrative, it misses the mark as both a biopic and a political drama.

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