‘Emergency’ review: Rushed; fails to deliver

After several delays in its release and multiple controversies surrounding it, Kangana Ranaut’s first solo directorial, ‘Emergency', was released in cinema halls on Friday. A biopic of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the film features Ranaut playing Indira's character alongside Anupam Kher as Jayaprakash Narayan, Shreyas Talpade as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Satish Kaushik as Jagjivan Ram, Vishak Nair as Sanjay Gandhi, and Darshan Pandya as RK Dhawan, among others. Here’s our review of ‘Emergency’.

‘Emergency’s winning formula: Ranaut and Nair

Ranaut's portrayal of Indira is truly deserving of applause. Her transformation into the former PM is not just skin-deep, thanks to impressive prosthetics, but also deeply nuanced, showcasing her impressive acting range. The close-up shots are particularly effective in capturing the subtleties of her performance, from the faint twitching to the expressive emotions that bring Indira to life.
 

Ranaut's masterful performance humanizes Indira, revealing the complexities of her character and the many facets of her personality. Whether depicting her personal struggles from early days or the (mis)happenings of her professional triumphs, Ranaut brings a depth and empathy to the role that's both captivating and thought-provoking.

Another performance that will linger on to the audience’s minds is that of Nair. His portrayal of Sanjay is a revelation, and his performance will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on audiences. Despite his relatively low profile in Hindi cinema, Nair's outstanding performance in 'Emergency' is sure to make him a household name. He brings a captivating energy to the screen, making it impossible to look away whenever he appears. With his nuanced and compelling performance, Nair proves himself to be a talented actor who deserves more recognition. 'Emergency' can be a breakout moment for him.

Reasons why it fails to deliver:

Despite Ranaut and Nair’s powerful performances, there is nothing that saves ‘Emergency’ from sinking. Even though it has shown the many events that led to the emergency in 1975, it still disappoints you at more than one level.

The makers roped in a bunch of excellent actors, yet the film didn’t do justice to their acts. Be it Kher, Kaushik, Talpade, or even Milind Soman as late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, their roles were chopped so much that you barely get to see them. But that isn’t it. You will see Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Menaka Gandhi in the film, but without a single dialogue. Funnily, little Priyanka Gandhi was given a dialogue or two.

Another factor that was a big no-no on the screen was when Talpade as Vajpayee breaks into a song inside the parliament, right before the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1975. It then goes on to show Narayan and Manekshaw also joining. The film’s music isn’t something that will stay with you at all. If that wasn’t enough, the picturization of these songs were equally, if not more, disappointing.

But the main fault with ‘Emergency,’ lies with its screenplay. Yes, Ranaut aimed at showing various events that led to Indira declaing a national emergency, but in execution, it felt like the makers were in a rush to show it all. What also didn’t fit in right was that even though the film’s title is ‘Emergency,’ there was very little that was shown on what is considered as one of India’s darkest chapter of political history.

Should you watch or skip it?
 

Ranaut must be applauded for bringing some of the most crucial events of Indian political history to the screen, and showing the life one of the most influential Prime Ministers of India. But do not expect the film to give you a history lesson; rather, expect a lot of dramatization. For instance, a scene during the emergency period shows Indira seeing a cruel lady everytime she sees herself in the mirror. Though Ranaut’s idea was to show the guilt that Indira had within her, the scene was such a disappointment. In all, ‘Emergency’ isn’t a film that I wouldn’t recommend friends or family to go to a theatre and watch. It is better to wait for its OTT release.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars