Working out issues with CBFC over certificate for 'Emergency' film: Zee

Zee Entertainment Enterprises, a co-producer of Kangana Ranaut's "Emergency" film, on Thursday told the Bombay High Court it was working out with the Censor Board issues over issuance of certificate for the movie.

The movie, which was initially slated for a September 6 release, has been embroiled in a battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), popularly known as the censor board for non-issuance of certificate for release of the movie.

Last week, the CBFC told the high court that the movie could be released if certain cuts were made as decided by the board's revising committee. On Thursday, senior counsel Sharan Jagtiani told a division bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla the issues are being worked out.

"I believe it is working out between the CBFC and respondent 2 (Ranaut's Manikarnika Films, co-producer)," Jagtiani said. The bench posted the matter for hearing on Friday.

Earlier this week, the bench was informed by the censor board that Ranaut's production company Manikarnika had agreed to the cuts.

The movie's co-producer Zee Entertainment Enterprises had moved HC seeking a direction to the CBFC to issue a certificate for the film "Emergency", helmed by Kangana Ranaut. The biographical drama is caught up in controversy after Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, objected, accusing it of misrepresenting the community and getting historical facts wrong.

Zee Entertainment had in its plea claimed that the CBFC had already made the certificate for the movie but was not issuing it. Ranaut, who has directed and co-produced the film besides playing the lead role of former prime minister late Indira Gandhi, earlier this week accused the CBFC of stalling certification to delay the release.

Zee Entertainment had also alleged that the certificate was being withheld due to political reasons and due to the upcoming elections in Haryana. The bench had then wondered as to why the ruling party (BJP) would act against Ranaut, who was herself a BJP MP.