4 september 2024 : Kangana Ranaut’s film Emergency will miss its scheduled September 6 release due to a Bombay High Court ruling that denied an urgent directive for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to immediately certify the film.
The division bench, comprising Justices B.P. Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla, stated that it could not grant urgent relief in light of an existing directive from the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which has instructed the CBFC to review objections to the film before issuing a certification. The bench noted that if not for the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s directive, it would have ordered the CBFC to issue the certificate right away.
The film, which is a biographical drama directed by and starring Kangana Ranaut, is facing controversy from Sikh groups, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, who have alleged that the film misrepresents their community and distorts historical facts. As a result, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, the film’s producer, sought relief from the Bombay High Court to expedite the certification process.
The Bombay High Court acknowledged that the CBFC had the certification ready but had not issued it, citing concerns about potential law and order issues post-release. The court found the CBFC’s claim that the certificate was not issued due to a missing signature from the chairperson to be unconvincing.
Following the court’s decision, Kangana Ranaut expressed her frustration on social media, claiming that the court had criticized the CBFC for unlawfully withholding the film’s certification.
The Bombay High Court emphasized that it could not override the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s order and directed the CBFC to address the objections and finalize the certification by September 18. The bench questioned the basis of objections from Sikh groups without having viewed the film and criticized the idea of censoring films based on anticipated unrest.
Senior counsel Venkatesh Dhond, representing Zee Entertainment, argued that the CBFC’s delay in issuing the certification was unjustified and that the film’s release should not be hindered by anticipated disruptions. The Bombay High Court criticized the CBFC for procedural delays and urged action against officials responsible for the hold-up.
The case will be reviewed again on September 19.