Bollywood star and politician Kangana Ranaut has once again found herself at the center of headlines—this time over her upcoming political drama, Emergency. On Monday, her production house Manikarnika Films released a statement clarifying that the film is “only inspired” by senior journalist Coomi Kapoor’s book The Emergency: A Personal History, and not “based on it” as previously stated in the film’s credits.
The clarification follows a petition filed by Coomi Kapoor in the Delhi High Court earlier this year. Kapoor, whose acclaimed 2015 book was published by Penguin, alleged that the makers of Emergency had violated an agreement related to the adaptation rights of her work. She also raised concerns about “factual inaccuracies” and what she described as “misleading portrayals” of historical events surrounding India’s 1975 Emergency period.
In its official statement, Manikarnika Films said, “It was inadvertently mentioned in the credits of the film ‘Emergency’ that it is based on the book ‘The Emergency’ by Ms. Coomi Kapoor. We hereby clarify that the film is only inspired by the aforesaid book and is in no manner based on it. The general public is hereby advised.” The production house’s statement aims to settle confusion and legal tension around the film’s source material before its release.
Kangana Ranaut, who not only stars in Emergency but also directs it, portrays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the film—a bold and politically charged role that has stirred interest since the project’s announcement. Known for her outspoken views and political ambitions, Ranaut has framed the film as a “historical and emotional retelling” of one of India’s most controversial periods.
While the clarification may ease immediate legal friction, it has reignited conversations about the thin line between inspired by and based on in Bollywood storytelling. As Emergency heads toward release, all eyes are on how it handles the real-life events it draws from—and whether its cinematic interpretation will match the gravity of the history it revisits.