Emergency issue reaches British Parliament

Bob Blackman, an Opposition MP, told the House of Commons that similar disruption of the screenings of the “very controversial” film took place in Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Slough, Staines and Manchester. It has resulted in the Vue and Cineworld cinema chains deciding to pull the film from many theatres in the UK.

“On Sunday, many of my constituents gathered and paid for a screening of the film Emergency in the Harrow Vue cinema. At about 30 or 40 minutes into the screening of the film, masked Khalistani terrorists burst in, threatened members of the audience and forced the screening to end,” Blackman said in Parliament.

“The film is very controversial, and I am not commenting on its quality or content, but I defend the right of my constituents and other members’ constituents to be able to view it and make a decision on it. It covers the period when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister of India,” he said.

The MP noted that there are certain views in the UK that it is an “anti-Sikh film” but asserted that his constituents should be able to judge for themselves and not be “threatened by thugs who want to disrupt democratic opportunities to see public films”.

“May we have a statement from the Home Secretary (Yvette Cooper) next week on what will be done to ensure that people who want to see such films, which have been passed by censors, can do so in peace and harmony? I absolutely defend the right of people to demonstrate outside cinemas, but not to disrupt viewings,” he added.

Support from the Leader of the House

Leader of the Commons Lucy Powell responded on behalf of the Labour Party government by saying that Blackman had raised a “very important matter about the relationship between free speech and the right to protest peacefully”.

“The ability of people to go about their activities freely whatever they choose to do, whether that is seeing a film which, as he says, has been agreed by the censors and all those who look at those issues. I will certainly ensure that he and the whole House get an update on the very important matters he raises,” said Powell.

The Emergency controversy in UK

Some British Sikh groups have organised protests against ‘Emergency’, disrupting its screenings at some cinemas in the UK since its release last Friday. The Sikh Press Association group had stated on social media that the film is seen as “anti-Sikh” and these protests resulted in cancelled screenings in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands region of England.

Community organisation Insight UK had posted a video on its X platform showing masked protesters interrupting a London screening of the film, directed by Ranaut who also essays the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

About Emergency

Directed by Kangana Ranaut, Emergency is a political thriller that chronicles the tenure of Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister of India, focussing on the 1975 Emergency in particular. The film drew controversy after some Sikh groups alleged the film was ‘anti-Sikh’, a charged Kangana has denied. Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh guards in 1984.

The film also stars Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, and the late Satish Kaushik. It was released last week after several delays.

(With PTI inputs)