Emergency Movie Review : In the early scenes of Emergency, a tense and overly serious drama that attempts to portray a sweeping account of an era, the simplistic and exaggerated approach to storytelling quickly becomes apparent. The narrative wastes no time in setting its tone. Indira Gandhi’s ambition is depicted as taking root during her childhood, fueled by a desire to avenge her mother’s mistreatment and silencing within the family, particularly by her aunt. As an adult, Indira (played by Kangana Ranaut) frequently returns to the corridors of political power in Delhi. The film hints at underlying tensions between her and Jawaharlal Nehru, with the aging father distancing himself from her after she achieves notable progress in Assam during the Indo-China War.
The tension between historical accuracy and dramatic license is a constant undercurrent. By building intense, gripping moments and crafting interactions between key figures—some of which may not align with historical records—the film takes liberties that are meant to weave together dramatized depictions of real events. At times, the real timeline and exchanges are altered to serve the fictional need for heightened momentum, especially during pivotal moments in a character’s journey. Emergency maintains a breathless, frantic pace, rapidly advancing through a series of events with little time for reflection. Its urgency to move forward leaves little room for Kangana Ranaut, who appears in nearly every scene, to truly develop the character. The emphasis, aided by DP Tetsuo Nagata’s close-ups, is entirely on capturing the physical traits—Ranaut tenses, purses her lips, and her restless eyes and shifting chin verge on parody. The film repeatedly hammers home the “gungi-gudiya” (dumb doll) analogy, showcasing the Congress Syndicate’s growing admiration for Indira as she asserts herself in parliamentary debates. However, her growth is mainly conveyed through physical gestures. Her rise to the Prime Minister’s seat, her dismissal, and eventual return happen in a whirlwind, almost without pause.
Emergency unfolds as a rapid-fire collection of career highlights, interspersed with distorted depictions of relationships. The film draws from two primary sources—Jaiyanth Vasanth Sinha’s Priyadarshini: The Daughter of India* and Coomi Kapoor’s The Emergency: A Personal History—but you’d struggle to find any truly insightful moments. Instead, we’re presented with a series of dry enumerations, with little effort to delve into or explore the impact of key political decisions on the everyday lives of citizens. Ritesh Shah’s screenplay seems fixated on serving Kangana Ranaut’s portrayal, which consistently praises the Opposition. Indira herself is shown openly admiring Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Shreyas Talpade), calling him a “true statesman and desh-bhakt.” Meanwhile, citizens are depicted as an anonymous, faceless crowd, occasionally used for melodramatic or shock-value moments, stripped of any individual voice. The film’s attempts to highlight demographic diversity, especially in regions like Assam or Tripura, feel out of place. The Hindi dub subtly aligns with Ranaut’s overtly majoritarian leanings. Indira is repeatedly hailed for her efforts to prevent the country from fragmenting into “tukde-tukde,” a phrase that has frequently been used by Ranaut herself to condemn dissenting voices. As director, she also directs most of the ridicule at Pakistan, with Yahya Khan reduced to a cartoonish villain, his exaggerated eyebrow movements adding to the caricature.
As the film attempts to find its rhythm, it veers into a bizarre turn where grief and guilt within Indira manifest in a manner reminiscent of a low-budget horror film. Haunted by the consequences of her actions, she is confronted by a ghostly apparition in the mirror—a distorted, nightmarish version of her own reflection. This scene portrays Indira as gripped by an overwhelming persecution complex, her mind consumed by delusions. Sanjay Gandhi (Vishak Nair) is portrayed as a spoiled, reckless figure, relentlessly pushing his mother to the brink of madness. She becomes the quintessential mother, blinded by her love for her son, as he executes controversial actions like the forced sterilization campaign and slum demolitions. In these moments, she steps back from making decisions, silently passing the reins of power to him, even as his actions spiral out of control.
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