Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Emergency’ Opens to a Decent Start at the Box Office

Kangana Ranaut’s much-anticipated portrayal of Indira Gandhi, one of India’s most powerful Prime Ministers, has finally hit theaters after facing delays and controversies. The political drama, Emergency, opened to a positive response at the box office, signaling a promising start for the actress-director.

Kangana’s last theatrical release, Tejas (2023), where she played an Air Force officer, recorded an opening day collection of ₹1.25 crore. Comparatively, Emergency has performed significantly better, marking an 88% increase in collections. The opening day numbers for Emergency are estimated to be in the range of ₹2.35–₹2.5 crore, making it Kangana’s best box office opening since the pandemic.

Back in 2020, her film Panga debuted with ₹2.70 crore, just before the world entered the COVID era. However, Emergency has now become Kangana’s strongest opening in the last five years, showing her renewed box office appeal. Industry experts predict that the film could cross ₹8 crore over the weekend if the momentum continues.

Additionally, Emergency has outperformed Laapataa Ladies, the last film by a female director, with a 130% higher opening. Directed by Kiran Rao, Laapataa Ladies was released in 2024 but couldn’t match the opening numbers of Kangana’s latest venture.

Directed, produced, and headlined by Kangana Ranaut, Emergency features a stellar cast, including Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, and Milind Soman. The film chronicles the events of 1975 during India’s Emergency period under the leadership of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The official synopsis describes the story as, “Based on true events that unfolded in 1975. The chronicles of incidents took place under the leadership of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, one of the most powerful women in Indian history.”

While the box office figures are yet to be independently verified, the early response hints at a strong run for Emergency. Fans and critics alike are keen to see how the film performs in the coming days.