Priyanka Gandhi Vadra complemented Kangana Ranaut on her work and her hair as they crossed each other in Parliament and responded with an "okay, maybe" when the actor and BJP MP asked the Congress leader to watch her new film "Emergency".
The much in the news film sees Ranaut playing the late Indira Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi’s grandmother. Directed and produced by Ranaut, it documents the 21 months of Emergency imposed in 1975 by then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
“I met Mrs Priyanka Gandhi in Parliament and she complimented me on my work and my hair. So I was like, 'You know, I made this film Emergency and maybe you should see it'. And she was like, 'Okay, maybe'. And I think if they have a little bit of acceptance for what has been, they will appreciate the film," Ranaut told PTI in a video interview about her brief interaction with the Wayanad MP.
The film will release on January 17 after months of controversy over its censor certificate and allegations that it misrepresents the Sikh community.
Ranaut, the BJP's MP from Mandi, said she took "no liberties at all" in the portrayal of Indira Gandhi and the Emergency months.
The actress, often in the news for her comments, added that she thought Indira Gandhi was a "very powerful person" before she started working on "Emergency".
"But when I did my research, I understood it was quite the contrary. It also strengthened my belief that the weaker you are, the more control you would want. She was a very weak person and she was also very unsure of herself and really vulnerable.".
"She had many crutches around and she was constantly seeking a kind of validation. She was also hugely dependent on many people, one of them was Sanjay Gandhi. I didn't have that kind of empathy for her before 'Emergency'."
Ranaut is no stranger to playing real-life characters on screen: she portrayed freedom fighter Rani of Jhansi in "Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi" and the late Tamil Nadu chief minister-film star J Jayalalithaa in "Thalaivii."
According to the first-time MP, "people" tried hard to stop "Emergency" from releasing.
"I was utterly distraught. I thought maybe it will never see the light of the day. Because there was earlier a film on Mrs Gandhi called 'Kissa Kursi Ka'.".
"I thought maybe it's jinxed or something that you can't make a film on her. And I had also put some investments into it. There were a lot of issues, obviously I was disheartened," Ranaut said.
"Emergency" missed its scheduled release date of September 6, 2024, due to the fact that it failed to get clearance from the CBFC.
Ranaut had then accused the CBFC of stalling the certification. The matter went to the Bombay High Court where production banner Zee Studios eventually agreed to comply with the changes suggested by CBFC's revising committee.
She did not confirm the number of cuts the CBFC directed. However, she said she would have liked to see the release of the film the way she had made it.
The film, Ranaut said, has not been made with the intention of hurting people or their sentiments. "As the film is not made with that intention, even if that was removed, it doesn't impact my story."
Describing "Emergency" as an "unusual and controversial" film, Ranaut said audiences are used to watching traditional song-and-dance movies from Bollywood.
"But when you have something so bizarre, people are a little uneasy with it. 'How come she made a film like this?' This is a controversy and speaking of a very pertinent chapter in history."
The 38-year-old filmmaker, who made films like "Gangster", the "Tanu Weds Manu" franchise, "Fashion", "Queen", and "Panga", claimed to believe in the "power of authenticity".
"Since my film was highly scrutinized, I had to provide proof of the documentation, the source, everything. I had to face a lot of setbacks, challenges, scrutiny, and all kinds of pressures.".
"They say truth eventually trumps over everything. We presented all the proof. Different communities, (political) parties, historians, common man, anyone who has seen the film has said there is nothing objectionable in it," she said.
Has acting taken a back seat after becoming an MP last June?
"Not really a back seat but yes being a parliamentarian is also a very demanding job. I have been going to Parliament almost every month. There has been a little bit of a setback in terms of my shootings. I'm not able to, but I will resume," she said.
"Emergency" also stars Anupam Kher as Jayaprakash Narayan, Shreyas Talpade in the role of a young Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Milind Soman as Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Mahima Choudhary as Pupul Jayakar and the late Satish Kaushik in the role of Jagjivan Ram. The film is produced by Manikarnika Films.
Read also| CM Nitish Kumar Affirms Staying in NDA, Rejects Suggestions to Change Alliance
Read also| Ramesh Bidhuri Targets Atishi, Accuses Her of 'Changing Her Father'; Kejriwal Slams BJP
