Bollywood film facing heat of boycott calls, emergency film, Kangana Ranaut, Padmaavat, emergency boycott, film boycott, controversy
Bollywood films are often at the centre of controversy, sparking fierce debates and calls for boycotts even before their release. Despite the uproar, some films manage to weather the storm and achieve critical acclaim and commercial success. In this story, we explore the journey of such films and examine their resilience against the controversy and adversity that surrounds them.
Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming political drama “Emergency” is the latest Bollywood film to face calls for a boycott. Several Sikh organisations, including Delhi’s Shiromani Akali Dal, have accused the makers of spreading misinformation. They asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to halt the release of the film and further said that the film has the potential to spark sectarian violence. Ranaut, who plays former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and also directs, responded to the boycott calls and death threats by saying, “You people cannot scare me. These people cannot scare me.” “Emergency” will be released in cinemas on September 6.
Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva
Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva, one of the biggest blockbusters of 2022, faced trouble ahead of its release over comments made by Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. Before the film’s release, Bhatt, in an interview, responded to several films facing boycott calls. She said, “If you don’t like me, don’t watch it.” Soon, social media users began calling on everyone to boycott her films. A few days after her comments, users dug up a decade-old interview of Kapoor in which he had spoken about his eating habits and love for beef. After the interview resurfaced, many criticized the actor and called for a boycott of the film.
Netizens were quick to dig up old interviews between Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan, days before Laal Singh Chaddha’s theatrical release in 2022. One of the major reasons for the backlash the film received was the resurfacing of an interview Aamir had given in 2015 about growing intolerance in India. Laal Singh Chaddha, the official Hindi remake of Forrest Gump, suffered a major hit at the box office amid a climate of boycotts.
Telugu star Vijay Deverakonda was keen to make his Bollywood debut with Liger, but he never knew it would become the most controversial film of his career. Directed by Puri Jagannadh and backed by Karan Johar, Liger faced calls for a boycott for various reasons, but the main one was because of Vijay’s support for Aamir’s Laal Singh Chaddha. Many also accused Vijay of being arrogant. Some users also protested due to Karan’s association with the film.
One of the most controversial films of recent times is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Padmaavat. Starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, Padmaavat sparked several protests, particularly in Rajasthan, leading to calls for a boycott. Many criticised the film for depicting a dream sequence between Rani Padmavati and Alla Uddin Khilji. Despite the criticism, the film was a huge commercial success, grossing over Rs 50 crore at the box office.
