Emergency Review: Kangana Ranaut Delivers a Rushed Crash Course on Indira Gandhi
Emergency Review: Kangana Ranaut Delivers a Rushed Crash Course on Indira Gandhi
In Short Line:
Emergency skims over significant events like the 1975 Emergency, the 1971 Indo-Pak war, and Operation Blue Star, but refrains from deeply exploring their impact.
Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik stand out, while Kangana's portrayal of Indira Gandhi comes across more like a parody.
It’s expected that a film titled Emergency would focus primarily on the 1975 Emergency. However, Kangana Ranaut merely touches upon what is considered one of the darkest phases in contemporary Indian history, attempting to deliver a crash course on Indira Gandhi. As both the actor and director, she seemed rushed to cover all aspects of Gandhi’s life, barely touching on its complexities.
The film opens with a young Indira learning from her grandfather that satta means taakat (power). After a quick montage of India gaining independence, the film moves swiftly to how Indira Gandhi played a key role in saving Assam from China during the 1962 war. As the nation hails her with slogans like Jai Indira Mata, the film suggests that this moment strained her relationship with her father, Jawaharlal Nehru. When Nehru names Lal Bahadur Shastri as the heir to Congress, Indira is left heartbroken.
Watch the trailer of Emergency here:
After Indira Gandhi finally becomes Prime Minister, the film shows how she was mocked for her voice and called a "goongi gudiya" (mute doll) by fellow ministers in parliament. She endured this with grace, sometimes even giving back sharp replies. One notable instance includes her tough response to the then US President when he made jokes about Indian women and their sarees.
Over the next two hours, the film covers key events like the 1971 Indo-Pak war, the independence of Bangladesh, the Indo-Soviet Treaty, the Shimla Agreement, the Pokhran Nuclear Test, and ultimately Indira Gandhi facing opposition wrath, leading to her being banned from contesting elections and implementing the Emergency. Though events like the arrests of opposition leaders, media gagging, and forced vasectomy are touched upon, they are not explored in depth.
The narrative then rushes through Indira Gandhi’s electoral defeat, the emergence of the Janata Party, her time in Tihar Jail, and her political comeback. It also briefly delves into the strained relationship with her son Sanjay Gandhi due to his rash decisions. The climax focuses on Operation Blue Star in Punjab and how it led to her assassination by members of her security team.
While the subject of women in politics is rarely explored in cinema, this film misses the opportunity to tell a deeper story. Instead, Kangana Ranaut’s portrayal comes across as exaggerated, with her constant twitching, lip-chewing, and darting eyes seeming more like a parody of the prime minister. The film also fails to explain how Indira Gandhi developed her passion for politics or why the slogan "India is Indira, Indira is India" became so iconic.
As a director, Kangana manages to prevent other actors from mimicking the leaders they portray. Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik shine as Jayaprakash Narayan and LK Advani, respectively, while Shreyas Talpade’s portrayal of Atal Bihari Vajpayee is disappointing. Vishak Nair stands out as Sanjay Gandhi, portraying him as a man obsessed with power and politics.
Ironically, the pacing of the film can be tedious, making viewers want to learn more about the historical events on screen. Unless you're a general knowledge enthusiast, you may find yourself Googling details. The songs, which feel like unnecessary distractions, include a few dramatic musical numbers that unintentionally add humor. The film’s violence is gory, with lingering close-ups of faces that seem to indulge Kangana’s penchant for such shots.
Emergency attempts to balance glorifying Indira Gandhi’s achievements with depicting her authoritarian tendencies. There's a moment when she looks into a mirror, seeing a haunting face—possibly an attempt by the filmmakers to highlight her internal struggles.
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