Kangana Ranaut says 'Emergency' stuck with censor board
New Delhi (PTI): Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut on Friday said her film “Emergency” is still stuck with the censor board contrary to rumours that it has been cleared for release.
Ranaut, the BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, stars in the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in the film that is scheduled for release on September 6.
In a video message posted on X, the actor claimed that she and the members of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) have been receiving threats.
She said she is under pressure to not show the assassination of the former prime minster by her security guards.
“There are rumours that our film ‘Emergency’ has got a censor certificate. It is not true. In fact, our film was cleared earlier but it’s certification has been stopped because of several threats,” Ranaut said.
“People of the censor board are also getting a lot of threads. There is pressure on us to not show the assassination of Mrs Gandhi, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and the Punjab riots. I don’t know what we will show then, that there is a blackout in the film? This is unbelievable time for me and I am very sorry for this state of things in this country,” she added.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday sent a legal notice to CBFC seeking to prevent the release of Ranaut’s film, claiming it may “incite communal tensions” and “spread misinformation”.
It alleged the trailer of the film depicted “erroneous historical facts that not only misrepresent the Sikh community but also promote hatred and social discord.”
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'The Wire' says its website blocked across India by Government
New Delhi: Access to the independent news website The Wire (thewire.in) has been blocked across much of India following an order reportedly issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The move has drawn strong criticism from The Wire, which termed it a violation of the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press.
The internet service providers are saying multiple things. We have learnt it is per orders of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. pic.twitter.com/GCz4d6EggP
— The Wire (@thewire_in) May 9, 2025
Internet service providers (ISPs) have cited different reasons for the disruption, but The Wire’s founding editor, Siddharth Varadarajan stated that at least two ISPs have informed customers that the website is being blocked under government orders. Some users in India can still access the website, although the block appears to be in the process of full implementation.
At least two ISPs are telling their customers that The Wire cannot be reached because the government has issued orders to block the site.
— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) May 9, 2025
Some readers in India may still be able to access https://t.co/BCdnZhucBj directly until the blocking order gets fully implemented.
The… pic.twitter.com/Qe44BUUbbx
Pratik Sinha, co-founder of Alt News, shared a workaround on X to continue accessing the website. “If you're on a Firefox-based browser, then enable DNS over HTTPS,” he wrote.
To access https://t.co/tcIZ6ths5j in India, please enable secure DNS in your browser settings. https://t.co/9nhSjpVUYy pic.twitter.com/fJWnFwH5BK
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) May 9, 2025
In a public statement, The Wire called the move “blatant censorship” and questioned its timing. “At a critical time for India, when sane, truthful, fair and rational voices are among the biggest assets the country has, this decision is deeply concerning,” the editorial team said.
Siddharth Varadarajan, Founding Editor of The Wire, noted that while the site is currently inaccessible within much of India, it remains fully reachable through VPNs and abroad. He added that a mirror site will be launched soon.
The Wire confirmed that it is pursuing all legal and procedural measures to challenge the “arbitrary and inexplicable” order. “Our commitment to truthful and accurate journalism remains unwavering. Your support has kept our work going for the past 10 years, and we are counting on our readers to stand with us now,” the outlet said.
