The Emergency (1975–1977) had a huge influence on the country and is now regarded as one of the most important and terrible political crises in Indian history. Emergency is a big-screen attempt by director and star Kangana Ranaut to depict this turbulent period of history.
Inspired on Coomi Kapoor’s book The Emergency and Jaiyanth Sinha’s Priyadarshini, the film was written by Ranaut (story), Ritesh Shah (screenplay and dialogue), and Tanvi Kesari Pasumarthy. The story begins in 1929 and covers four decades, including the independence of India, the Indo-China War, the 1962 Assam crisis, the ascent to power of Indira Gandhi, and the 1971 Indo-Pak War. It appears as though historical events have been woven into scenarios, yet the screenplay lacks coherence. Note that some of the scenes, especially those that show the horrors mothers and infants endured during the war, are extremely sensationalized and gruesome.
Despite its goal of capturing significant moments from Indira Gandhi’s rule, the movie frequently falls short in providing background information or context for important persons and events, such Gandhi’s close friend Pupul Jayakar (played by Mahima Chaudhary), making it difficult for viewers to make the connections. The film’s main subject, the Emergency, is shown in an abrupt manner, as are other significant events like the murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family.
Emergency does have its moments of impact. The confrontation between Indira Gandhi and US President Richard Nixon prior to the 1971 Indo-Pak War is one of the most memorable scenes. A highlight is her forceful response, “You have weapons, we have courage.” This is followed by the painstakingly constructed battle scene, for which Tetsuo Nagata, the cameraman, merits praise.
The tone of the story is complemented by the music, with Ae Meri Jaan (Arko featuring Hariharan) standing out as a potent composition and Singhasan Khaali Karo (Udit Narayan, Nakash Aziz, and Nakul Abhyankar) providing an anthemic vibe.
In her role as Indira Gandhi, Kangana Ranaut shines in the second half, especially in sequences following the lifting of the Emergency, her encounter with philosopher J Krishnamurti (played by Avijit Dutt), and her journey to the Belchi hamlet in Bihar at the age of 60 while riding an elephant.
Anupam Kher plays Jaiprakash Narayan well. Although passable, Shreyas Talpade’s portrayal of Atal Bihari Vajpayee lacks conviction. In his brief appearance as Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Milind Soman makes a strong impact, and Vishak Nair’s ominous portrayal of Sanjay Gandhi is memorable. Mahima Chaudhary gives her performance as Pupul Jayakar a sense of gravity.
Emergency’s one-dimensional depictions and excessively dramatic tone work against it. The attempt to recount a significant period of Indian history is undermined by the absence of narrative fluidity and context. Nonetheless, there are a number of powerful scenes throughout the film.
Emergency Movie Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, Mahima Chaudhry, Milind Soman, Satish Kaushik, Ashok Chhabra
Emergency Movie Director: Kangana Ranaut
Emergency Movie Rating: 3.5/5
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