EXCLUSIVE: Kangana Ranaut says PM Indira Gandhi didn’t struggle in her political career ahead of Emergency release: “She was privileged and coming from a nepotistic background”

Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut is gearing up for the release of her film Emergency, in which she not only stars but also directs. The film portrays Ranaut in the role of India’s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. As the promotions for the film intensify, Kangana has opened up about the aspects of Indira Gandhi's personality that she admires and criticizes.

In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Kangana shared her thoughts on what drew her to the character of Indira Gandhi. The actress remarked on Gandhi's privileged upbringing and her determination to prove herself in a male-dominated political landscape, as well as her struggles with ego and immaturity in dealing with challenges.

One of the qualities that Kangana admires in Indira Gandhi is her determination to establish herself despite the privileges she was born with. As the daughter of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi grew up in a world of politics, surrounded by power and influence. This privileged background, Kangana notes, could have easily led to complacency. Instead, Gandhi was driven to prove her worth beyond her lineage.

“Yes, she was privileged, and she was coming from a nepotistic background. After all, she was the PM’s daughter. She held official positions during her father’s term. I mean, what more privilege can one get in politics? She was coming from a privileged space, but she had the determination that I have to prove myself. That determination was worth applauding,” Kangana shared.

Emergency focuses on the tumultuous period of the Emergency from 1975 to 1977, a 21-month phase during which civil liberties were suspended, and political opponents were imprisoned. This era, often regarded as a dark chapter in Indian history, was marked by widespread censorship, forced sterilizations, and authoritarian rule under Gandhi’s government.

However, Kangana does not shy away from critiquing Indira Gandhi, particularly in regard to the former Prime Minister's approach to power and her inability to fully detach from her privileged upbringing. According to Kangana, Gandhi’s lack of natural struggles in her early life may have impeded her ability to govern with the necessary maturity and selflessness that her role required.

“The negative thing, someone’s manufactured struggle can’t be real. The fact that she didn’t face any natural struggle in her life and her dealing with it was not coming from a mature space, it still came from a space where she was thinking like the PM’s daughter. That was not a good thing. Because when you are in that chair, you need to be selfless. You can’t operate from a place of ego,” Kangana explained.

The ensemble cast includes actors like Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, and the late Satish Kaushik, each bringing to life key figures from the period. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on September 6.

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