Kangana Ranaut Regrets Theatrical Release of Emergency: 'Could Have Gotten a Better Deal on OTT'

After facing a series of controversies and delays, Kangana Ranaut’s much-awaited project Emergency is finally set for release on January 17. This film marks Kangana's return to the screen. However, the journey to this point has been filled with numerous challenges, including censorship issues and self-reflection from the filmmaker.

In a recent interview with News18, Kangana opened up about the difficult decisions she made during the film's production, including the choice of a theatrical release.

I was scared, I felt that it was a wrong decision to release it in theatres. I thought I could have gotten a better deal on OTT. I also wouldn’t have had to go through censorship then, and my film wouldn’t have been dissected.

- Kangana Ranaut

The film’s censorship journey was marked by scrutiny from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which operates under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Kangana reflected on the challenges, saying, “There was a despair, but we fought it. We submitted all the documents after facing scrutiny on even small things. A lot of historians and people from various provinces and communities took a look at it, and they did not find anything offensive. They also admitted that the movie is stalled illegally. But we have a lot of respect for government bodies and we cooperated with them fully.”

Despite the difficulties, Kangana expressed regret about her decision to direct the film. “I felt that I made the wrong choices on many levels: firstly, wanting to direct this film. I took it for granted that even though we don’t have a Congress government...,” she said, reflecting on her experience making a movie about Mrs. Gandhi and the political environment.

Emergency boasts an ensemble cast, including Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhry, Milind Soman, and the late Satish Kaushik. The film is expected to be a critical test for Kangana’s career, especially after her last film, Tejas (2023), failed to perform well at the box office. With the stakes high, Kangana hopes that Emergency will mark a strong comeback for her in the industry