Bollywood actress and politician Kangana Ranaut‘s upcoming project, Emergency, is set to be released in a few months. Fans have been waiting to catch the film for quite some time, and its release date has been announced. The film is based on an important political event in Indian history when the late Indira Gandhi served as Prime Minister.
In the latest announcement, Ranaut wrote, “The Beginning of the 50th Year of Independent India’s Darkest Chapter, Announcing #KanganaRanaut’s #Emergency In Cinemas on 6th September 2024. The Explosive Saga of The Most Controversial Episode of The History of Indian Democracy, #EmergencyOn6Sept in cinemas worldwide.”
Much like Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency, several movies have been made in India based on the real lives of political figures. From Sam Bahadur to Thalaivii, this article looks at some of the most remarkable films of India’s political history.
Sam Bahadur
Vicky Kaushal’s 2023 film Sam Bahadur showcased the life of India’s first field marshal, Sam Manekshaw. He was also the chief of the army staff during the 1971 war. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Sam Bahadur was among the most celebrated films of 2023.
Kaushal was highly praised for his portrayal of Manekshaw in the gripping story. Besides him, the film also starred Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and others playing crucial roles. Much like Kangana Ranaut, Shaikh also portrayed the role of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the film. Sam Bahadur is available to stream on ZEE5.
Swatantrya Veer Savarkar
Randeep Hooda took up the challenging role of the revolutionary freedom fighter in the movie Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. He also served as the film’s writer and director. He is accompanied by Ankita Lokhande, Mark Bennington, Amit Sial, and others in supporting roles.
The film is available on ZEE5 and its official synopsis reads, “The film follows the life of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as ‘Veer Savarkar’. It traces his journey as a revolutionary freedom fighter, political prisoner and the father of Hindutva.”
Main Atal Hoon
The 2024 release Main Atal Hoon focused on the life of the former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is based on the former PM’s biography written by Sarang Darshane. The film was led by Pankaj Tripathi, while Ekta Kaul, Payal Nair, Gauri Sukhtankar, Piyush Mishra, and others portrayed pivotal roles.
The film revealed how India developed during the tenure of the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and emerged as a powerful nation. Its synopsis reads, “The film depicts the life and political career of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, highlighting India’s emergence as a powerful nation under his leadership.” The movie is available to watch on ZEE5.
Thalaivii
Here, Kangana Ranaut portrayed the role of the late Jayalalitha, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The film showcases the controversial life of Jayalalitha, who went on to become a successful politician after her career as an actress. The film’s official synopsis reads, “This biopic charts the life of actor-turned-chief minister Jayaram Jayalalitha and the relationship paving her rapid yet complicated path to power.”
Directed by AL Vijay, the film also stars Arvind Swamy, Nassar, Raj Arjun, Bhagyashree, Madhoo, Thambi Ramaiah, and Poorna. It is available to watch in Hindi on Netflix, while its Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada versions are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Indu Sarkar
Like Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency, the 2017 film Indu Sarkar also focused on Indian politics in the 1970s. The film stars Kirti Kulhari in the lead role. It is available on DisneyPlus Hotstar.
The synopsis of the film reads, “Set during the Indian Emergency, a simple housewife’s life changes when she ventures into an area where residents are protesting against the government.” Indeed, such films on various political events have been made in Indian cinema over the years. Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency is the latest addition to the list and also a much anticipated one.
