Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 18 : Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev attended the screening of Kangana Ranaut's much-anticipated political drama 'Emergency' on Friday, where he expressed his thoughts on the film's significance, especially for younger audiences.
The film, directed by and starring Kangana, delves into the controversial emergency period declared by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975.
During the event, Sadhguru emphasized the importance of the youth watching the film. "The youth must watch this film as it gives us a chance to know about history," he said.
While acknowledging the complexity of the subject matter, Sadhguru also praised the way it was presented.
"A very complex subject but fantastically presented," he remarked, adding that compressing such a significant historical event into a two-and-a-half-hour film is no easy task.
Addressing the film's portrayal of historical events, Sadhguru said that 'Emergency' serves as an important learning tool.
"It's been 50 years, and we can now consider it history," he explained, adding, "There is no need for us to sit here and judge whether it is right or wrong. The question is whether, as a nation, we learn from what happens to us or if we continue to repeat the same mistakes."
He emphasized the importance of learning from history, especially for younger generations who might not have lived through the event.
Sadhguru reflected on his own experience during the Emergency period. "I was in university, and it was a big thing. Emergency had such a big impact on us. For younger generations, I think a movie like this is very important because how many people will really sit down and read history?" he said.
He further added that the focus should not be on judging the past or the movie but on understanding the impact it had on the country's trajectory.
Kangana Ranaut, who also stars in the film, expressed her gratitude towards Sadhguru for attending the screening.
"We are very blessed that Sadhguru ji is here. He never has time to watch movies, but he made time for us. We are very blessed," she said. She also sought his blessings for the film's success.
Sadhguru also lauded the performances of the actors, particularly in portraying historical figures.
"Playing historical characters is not easy. Both of them (Kanagana Ranaut and Anupam Kher) did a wonderful job. Because playing popular roles is not easy. You can be an actress or an actor doing your own thing, but playing historical characters requires a different level of performance," he said.
Emergency, which was released on January 17, 2025, revolves around the period of emergency declared by Indira Gandhi from 1975 to 1977, a controversial and transformative chapter in Indian political history.
Directed by Kangana herself, the film explores the political turmoil and societal impacts of the emergency, with Kangana playing the role of Indira Gandhi. The film also stars Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, and the late Satish Kaushik.