Common Sense Media Review
By Ishmeet Nagpal
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gory, botched biopic of India's first female prime minister.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Emergency
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
EMERGENCY recounts how Indira Gandhi (Kangana Ranaut), the first and only woman to become prime minister of India, imposed a suspension of constitutional rights in the country for 21 months between 1975 and 1977.
Is It Any Good?
To describe this movie as a failure is perhaps too kind. Emergency is a mess of a film with director, writer, and lead actor Ranaut giving her worst acting performance to date. Her attempt at mimicking India's first (and so far only) female prime minister's mannerisms looks comedic, and her put-on voice is like nails on a chalkboard. The prosthetic nose, hair, and wardrobe do make her look the part, but both her directorial and acting choices are simply bad. For example, at one point, the entire parliament breaks into a musical number and Gandhi starts singing with the army chief (Milind Soman). This sudden gear change pulls the audience from the seriousness of the historical events, while important figures are reduced to mere footnotes. The film doesn't even seem to know how to handle its central character, flipping between glorifying and vilifying her. For anyone watching this so-called biopic, keeping an array of history books handy is advisable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the gory violence in Emergency. How did it make you feel? Why do you think it was included in the movie? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Discuss the portrayal of Indira Gandhi. Do you think it was fair? How might political biases affect how historical figures are depicted in films?
Did you know much about this period of Indian history? Has it encouraged you to learn more about it and some of the characters portrayed in the film? Why is it important to learn about historical periods from multiple sources?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 17, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : March 17, 2025
- Cast : Kangana Ranaut , Anupam Kher , Mahima Chaudhry
- Director : Kangana Ranaut
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Zee Studios
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : History
- Run time : 146 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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