Emergency Movie Review
Star Cast – Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher
Director – Kangana Ranaut
Release Date – 17 January 2025
| Total Reviews | 16 |
| Average Rating | 2.75 |
| Word of Mouth (Critics) | Mixed |
Rating Score -> 2.5/5
Emergency is hindered by its overly dramatised approach and one-dimensional portrayals. The lack of narrative fluidity and context undermines the attempt to narrate an important chapter in Indian history. However, the movie has its share of impactful sequences.
2. Times Now –
Rating Score -> 3.5/5
Emergency keeps you invested. You may have opposing views to the events shown in the film but that’s always the case with political dramas. They are subjective. The film’s real triumph lies in its performances, especially Kangana Ranaut’s exceptional portrayal of the Iron Lady!
3. India TV –
Rating Score -> 3/5
The movie is fine, and one with an eagerness to know about the intensity of the time during the Emergency must give it a try. And, if you are a political analyst and enthusiast, then one must give the movie a chance.
Rating Score -> 3.5/5
Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency is a rare film that doesn’t just entertain—it provokes, challenges, and forces us to reflect on the nature of governance and the personal costs of political leadership.
Rating Score -> 3.5/5
The film’s strength lies in its ability to reflect on a volatile period with both empathy and critical insight. Emergency is a rare film that blends historical drama with human emotion, making it a cinematic journey that resonates long after the credits roll.
Rating Score -> 3/5
Emergency deserves to be watched for its performances and its ambitious attempt to tackle a complex chapter in India’s history. However, viewers are advised to approach the narrative with caution and cross-check historical claims before forming opinions.
Rating Score -> 3.5/5
Chronicles an important chapter from history, elevated by #KanganaRanaut’s fantastic performance… Some terrific dramatic moments stay with you… Docu-drama approach and abrupt / rushed conclusion of few episodes dilute the overall impact.
8. NDTV –
Rating Score -> 1.5/5
Two things stand out in the long-delayed, unmitigatedly messy Emergency. One, the ‘story’ of the biopic is credited to director and lead actress Kangana Ranaut. If that isn’t an upfront admission that there are dashes of fiction in this fanciful, lopsided view of the eventful life and times of Indira Gandhi, what is?
9. Indian Express –
Rating Score -> 1.5/5
For the most part, ‘Emergency’ is more a scattershot caricature of time and place and people, riddled with tacky computer graphics: in a preposterous sequence, Manekshaw, Indira, the members of the Parliament, including Vajpayee, join in a song.
Rating Score -> n/a
To sum up, Emergency’s scramble to cram as much as possible into one film lets it down. It’s watchable if you want to see good acting. But then, what’s good acting without an engaging story?
11. First Post –
Rating Score -> 3/5
Kangana Ranaut was able to ace Indira Gandhi’s mannerisms, her expressions when she was confused, vulnerable and emotional in a brilliant way. Emergency made us believe that we didn’t live in a democracy then. It was the death of democracy in our country when Indira Gandhi called for emergency.
Rating Score -> 2.5/5
Emergency tries to walk a tightrope of glorifying Indira’s achievement while also depicting her shortcomings and dictator-like exercise. There is also a moment when she looks in the mirror to see a haunting face… was that a way for makers to focus on her vice.
Rating Score -> 3/5
Emergency is a straightforward, textbook biopic which, thankfully, doesn’t adopt the oft-repeated, cradle-to-grave template of chronicling its subject. Despite the film’s title, it doesn’t stick to the events of this chapter alone.
14. Rediff –
Rating Score -> 1/5
The film emphasises that gagging the media, instilling fear in citizens to prevent them from speaking freely, and suppressing fundamental rights are reprehensible actions.
15. DNA –
Rating Score -> 3.5/5
Emergency is not just a film—it is a powerful, thought-provoking commentary on the price of power, the limits of authority, and the personal consequences that shape political legacies. This film leaves a lasting impact, reminding us that in the realm of politics, the line between right and wrong is often blurred by personal ambition and the weight of leadership.
Rating Score -> n/a
Emergency is a well-made film with Kangana Ranaut’s performance being its biggest trump card. But in commercial terms, it has its limitations. It will win more critical acclaim than box-office success. Classes will like the film.