Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Emergency’ Is a Ludicrous Bid to Trivialise Indian History
As a city reporter based in the national capital, I covered India's Emergency from the ground, writes Ajoy Bose.
By: AJOY BOSE
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The much-publicised controversy around Bollywood actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut’s new film – Emergency – appears quite misplaced.
At a press preview last week, I found the film neither outright party propaganda nor an attempt to denigrate former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Instead, the film, which faced multiple delays, including due to troubles with the censor board, turned out to be a less than a mediocre film. Full of historical inaccuracies and misrepresentations, Emergency is at best a ludicrous bid to trivialise Indian history.
As a city reporter based in the national capital, I covered that chapter of India's history from the ground. I then intensively researched the period for my book For Reasons of State: Delhi under Emergency, co-authored with my fellow reporter John Dayal. As someone who had a ringside view of India's politics back then, the kindergarten approach of the film is particularly appalling.
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