Kangana Ranaut reflects on 'Emergency' challenges: Calls directing, theatrical release a mistake
New Delhi: Actor and filmmaker Kangana Ranaut has candidly addressed the hurdles faced during the making of her first solo directorial venture, Emergency. In a recent interview with News18, she admitted to making several "wrong choices," including opting to direct the film herself and choosing a theatrical release over streaming.
Kangana revealed her apprehension about the delay in the film’s release, citing challenges with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which held up certification for months. “I felt it was a wrong decision to release it in theatres. An OTT release could have avoided censorship hurdles and ensured the film wasn’t dissected,” she said.
Discussing her decision to direct the film, Kangana shared, “I underestimated the challenges of making a film on a subject like the Emergency. Despite the absence of a Congress government, I thought I could get away with it. Films like Kissa Kursi Ka never reached audiences, and I didn’t anticipate the scrutiny this film would face.”
Set to release on January 17, Emergency stars Kangana as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and chronicles key moments from her tenure, including the Emergency period and Operation Bluestar. The cast includes Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhry, and Milind Soman.
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Karnataka new excise policy: Local liquor to get costlier, premium may get cheaper
Bengaluru: The state government on Monday rolled out a new excise policy that shifts from the decades-old bulk litre-based system to a model based on alcohol content in beverages, Deccan Herald reported.
Karnataka becomes the first state in India to adopt this model. The change is expected to make lower-priced liquor costlier, while some premium brands may see a reduction in prices.
A senior Excise Department official said: “The policy is being implemented from today (May 11). The Karnataka Excise (Excise Duty and Charges) (2nd Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified after a public consultation on a draft released on April 18, slashes the number of excise slabs from 16 to 8.”
Local liquor manufacturers have alleged that the policy favours multinational companies producing beer and spirits over domestic distilleries.
According to the Karnataka Brewers and Distillers Association (KBDA), the first five slabs, which cater to the common man, house the maximum number of state-owned distilleries and contribute nearly 70-75% of the state’s excise revenue, have seen their Additional Excise Duty (AED) rise by 20-30%.
In contrast, slabs 6 to 8, which include products from multinational companies such as United Spirits, Bacardi, Heineken, Carlsberg, and Anheuser-Busch, have seen AED reduced by 10-15%. The association said that while larger companies can absorb pricing shifts across their diverse portfolios, smaller regional distilleries limited to budget liquor may face volume contraction and potential closure.
A senior KBDA member said the price of a 180 ml bottle in the lowest slab, which was around Rs 63 last year, has already risen to Rs 80, and the new policy is set to push that price further to Rs 105 a jump driven by a 42.8% tax bracket.
