Issues Have Been Worked Out For Release Of Movie: Makers Of 'Emergency' Film Tell Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court was on Friday informed that the makers of the controversial film Emergency, have "worked out" the issue with regards to the cuts and edits to be made so that it can be released for public viewing.

A division bench of Justices Burgess Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla was informed that after communications between the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Zee Studios and Manikarnika Films Productions (owned by Kangana Ranaut), the issue has been worked out.

Senior Advocate Sharan Jagtiani for Zee Studios told the judges that the makers will need at least two weeks time to comply with the changes suggested by the revising committee of the CBFC.

The judges were further told that after the compliance, the CBFC would verify the same and issue a certificate for the film to be released.

Accordingly, a prayer was made to dispose of the plea filed by Zee Studios and the judges agreed to the same.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by Zee Studios, seeking a direction to the CBFC to issue a certificate for the release of the film. The co-producer has contended that the censor board has initially granted an e-certificate and had also intimated Ranaut about the same through emails. However, it refused to hand over the hard copy of the certificate citing various objections to the film, raised particularly by the Sikh Community.

On the other hand, the CBFC has maintained that it never issued an e-certificate and that the emails, which are being relied upon by Ranaut and Zee, were auto-generated mail. The bench had, however, ordered CBFC to consider the objections, if any, to the film and take a decision by September 18.

In a previous hearing, the bench was irked to know that the CBFC has now referred the matter to its revising committee. Meanwhile, the Zee Studios alleged before the bench, that the CBFC was acting on behalf of the Central Government and was thus purposely delaying the film's release as the BJP, which is in power, doesn't want the film to impact the upcoming elections in Haryana, since it is being seen as "Anti-sikh."