Review, replace, release: List of cuts demanded by CBFC for Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency'

Days after CBFC clears Kangana’s Emergency, sources say board’s changes included removing Bhindranwale references and toning down violence

Kangana Ranaut has fought a long battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to see her directorial venture, Emergency, release on the big screen. Now that the biopic of the late Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, has been cleared for release, it hasn’t been without its share of changes. mid-day is in possession of the detailed cuts that have been recommended by the Revising Committee.

A source from the CBFC said that among the requested cuts, many involved references to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. “While in one instance, the name has been replaced with ‘Woh’, another sequence had the chant ‘Sant Bhindranwale Zindabad’. That was modified to ‘Zindabad’. Plus, a scene in which Bhindranwale says that he isn’t a puppet of the Congress party has been tweaked,” revealed the insider. Violence in the biopic has been toned down, with a sequence of firing in front of a bus dropped entirely. 

One of the reasons the film—which chronicles Gandhi’s political career, focusing on Emergency and its aftermath—didn’t get a go-ahead from the CBFC was that various Sikh groups alleged that it misrepresented the community and “promoted hatred and social discord”. Keeping these concerns in mind, the board requested that all documentary evidence be reflected in one slate, the sources of all archival footage be added in another, and that the disclaimer be modified. 

The source elaborates, “The disclaimer now clarifies that though the film is inspired by true events, dramatic transformation has been added. The board members also requested a factual reference for a scene that saw Jawaharlal Nehru make a remark about Assam; it was submitted by the makers. The same stands true for another scene involving a conversation between Sanjay Gandhi and Giani Zail Singh. In all, about 35 seconds have been deleted and 28 seconds replaced.”

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