Kangana Ranaut’s much-anticipated political drama Emergency, based on the life of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, premiered on Netflix on March 14. While the film managed to secure a spot in the platform’s Top 10 non-English films globally, ranking at number seven, it failed to attract as many viewers as Nadaaniyan, which had debuted the previous week.
Despite receiving harsh criticism and online trolling, Nadaaniyan, directed by Shauna Gautam and featuring newcomers Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor, outperformed Emergency in its opening week. The romantic drama, backed by Karan Johar, recorded 3.9 million views, significantly higher than Emergency’s 1.4 million. The film also starred Suniel Shetty, Dia Mirza, Mahima Chaudhry, and Jugal Hansraj.
Kangana not only starred in Emergency but also took on the director’s chair for the project. The film delves into Indira Gandhi’s controversial political career, with a cast that includes Anupam Kher, Vishak Nair, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, and Mahima Chaudhry. However, the film received a lukewarm response from critics and audiences alike, earning a modest 5.2/10 rating on IMDb. In contrast, Nadaaniyan—despite its stronger viewership—has an even lower IMDb rating of 3.1/10.
Responding to the criticism, Kangana defended her film and performance in a recent interview. She dismissed her detractors, stating that people in the industry should not judge her based on preconceived notions. “If they don’t assume my limitations, they won’t have to face so much embarrassment themselves,” she remarked in a conversation with India TV.
