The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that Kangana Ranaut's film “Emergency” can be issued a certificate after certain scenes are deleted as recommended by the board's revising committee.
The film was earlier scheduled to release on September 6 but got into a controversy with the censor board for not issuing a certificate for the release of the film.
Ranaut has directed the film and is also its co-producer. She also played the lead role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the film. The actress has accused the CBFC of not issuing a certificate to delay the release.
The biographical film courted controversy after some Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), raised objections to it and accused it of misrepresenting the community and distorting historical facts.
Justice B. P. Colabawala and Justice Firdous Pooniwala last week had pulled up the CBFC for its inability to take a decision on issuing a certificate to the film.
The High Court had said that the Censor Board cannot sit quietly like this and it will have to take its decision in some way or the other otherwise it would be tantamount to curbing the freedom of expression.
The court directed the CBFC to take its decision by September 25.
The film's co-producer Zee Entertainment Enterprises had filed a petition in the High Court requesting to direct the CBFC to issue a certificate for the film 'Emergency' directed by Kangana Ranaut.
The bench on Thursday asked the CBFC if there was “good news” about the film.
Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, appearing for the CBFC, told the court that the revising committee of the board has taken its decision.
He said, “The committee has suggested removing some scenes before issuing the certificate. After this, the film can be released.”
Senior advocate Sharan Jagtiani, appearing for Zee Entertainment, requested time to decide whether the scenes should be removed from the film or not.
The bench then fixed September 30 for the next hearing in the case.
Zee Entertainment claimed in its petition that the CBFC has already granted a certificate to the film but it is not releasing it.
Last week, Zee Entertainment had alleged that the film was not being issued a certificate due to political reasons and in view of the upcoming elections in Haryana.
Expressing surprise, the bench asked why the ruling party would act against Ranaut, who herself is an MP from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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