Despite controversies and limited screenings, Kangana Ranaut’s political drama Emergency opens to ₹2.35 crore, marking her strongest day-one performance since the pandemic.
January 18, 2025: Kangana Ranaut’s long-awaited solo directorial debut, Emergency, finally hit theaters on Friday, garnering significant attention for both its content and controversies. The film, which revolves around the 21-month Emergency period imposed by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, opened to ₹2.35 crore, as per Sacnilk reports. This marks Ranaut’s highest day-one box office collection in five years.
Also Read: Emergency Movie Review: A Compelling Kangana Ranaut Shines Amidst a Stretched Narrative
Kangana’s Biggest Opening in Years
In comparison to her recent solo releases, Emergency surpassed the ₹1.25 crore opening of her 2023 film Tejas and the ₹1.20 crore day-one collection of her 2022 action thriller Dhaakad. Even the 2021 biopic Thalaivii, based on the life of Tamil Nadu’s late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, managed only ₹1.46 crore across its multilingual release. Ranaut’s last major box office hit, Panga (2020), opened at ₹2.70 crore, making Emergency her most successful debut since the pandemic.
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About the Film
Emergency delves into one of India’s most controversial political eras, dramatizing the events between 1975 and 1977. Kangana plays the role of Indira Gandhi, delivering a performance that has sparked both praise and criticism.
However, the film hasn’t been without its share of hurdles. Last year, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) issued a legal notice to the film’s producers, alleging that it misrepresented Sikh history and sentiments. Protests led to limited screenings in parts of Punjab, including Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, and Bathinda. The SGPC’s demand for a ban on Emergency resulted in police deployments outside several cinemas in the state.
Kangana Responds to Controversy
Addressing the controversy, Kangana remarked, “The SGPC’s demand for a ban on Emergency and the restricted screenings in parts of Punjab are nothing short of harassment of art and artists.”
The Road Ahead
Despite its modest start, Emergency has the potential to pick up momentum over the weekend. With a runtime focused on dramatizing a pivotal historical period and a star like Kangana Ranaut at its helm, industry experts are watching closely to see how the film performs in the coming weeks.
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Emergency box office, Kangana Ranaut directorial, Emergency controversy, box office collection, political drama films, Indira Gandhi biopic, Bollywood openings, Shiromani Gurdwara protests
