Latest news with #TheEmergency
News18
13-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Did Indira Gandhi Really Ignore Richard Nixon's Call During 1971 India-Pakistan War?
Last Updated: To verify this claim, one must examine historical sources, declassified US documents and credible archival records for a clearer picture of what truly transpired The latest India-Pakistan conflict has renewed interest in the previous wars fought between the two rivals, especially the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh. Before the 1971 war broke out, then US President Richard Nixon warned India against taking military action. During a meeting with Nixon and his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi reportedly felt insulted and walked out. Amid the recent India-Pakistan escalation, a claim has resurfaced on social media suggesting that Indira Gandhi also ignored a phone call from Nixon. Some posts claim the US President calls her four times in 16 days but she refused to speak to him. The story, which has circulated for years, adds a dramatic layer to the narrative of India's defiance against American pressure. To verify the truth behind this claim, it is essential to explore historical sources, declassified documents, and credible records. What Do US Documents Say? In 2005, the US State Department declassified taped conversations between Nixon and Kissinger from the period leading up to the 1971 war. These records contain no explicit mention of Nixon personally calling Indira Gandhi or her refusing to take his call. Most communication between the two leaders occurred through formal letters and diplomatic channels. For instance, Indira Gandhi wrote to Nixon on December 12, 1971, a letter recently highlighted by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in a social media post. On the other hand, Indira Gandhi's advisor PN Dhar noted in his book Indira Gandhi, The Emergency, and Indian Democracy that the PM was deeply engaged in meetings with military commanders and diplomats. Given the wartime urgency, he wrote, any call from Nixon would not have been treated as a priority. Indira Gandhi May Have Delayed Calls To Avoid Confrontation According to biographer Katherine Frank in Indira : The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi, Indira Gandhi was aware of Nixon's hostility and may have deliberately delayed communication to avoid a direct confrontation. A Symbol Of Indira Gandhi's Unyielding Stand Historian Gary J Bass, in his acclaimed book The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger and a Forgotten Genocide, wrote that Nixon was furious India refused to yield to his threats. Whether Indira Gandhi ignored his calls or simply delayed responding remains debated, but many believe that her perceived defiance became a lasting symbol of her firm and uncompromising leadership. Indira Gandhi's Defiance Became A Symbol Of Strength Whether or not the phone call incident actually occurred, it became a symbol of Indira Gandhi's resolve during the 1971 war. Political commentators have argued that it reflected her refusal to bow to US pressure and highlighted India's growing strategic confidence, strengthened by the Soviet Union treaty. While there is no concrete evidence she ignored Nixon's calls, it's clear she resisted American pressure. Many see this episode as emblematic of India's assertive foreign policy and Indira Gandhi's unshakable leadership. The crisis in East Pakistan, marked by severe repression and a mass refugee movement into India, prompted Indira Gandhi to take the bold step of declaring war on Pakistan in December 1971. This led to a swift 13-day conflict, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh. Many believe that the world, especially the United States, was taken aback by her resolve, having underestimated her determination and believing their threats would deter her. Despite US pressure, it was reported that Gandhi remained steadfast, reshaping the region's geopolitical landscape and reinforcing India's independent foreign policy. First Published:
Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Kangana Ranaut to make Hollywood debut in horror drama Blessed Be the Evil with Tyler Posey and Scarlet Rose Stallone
Kangana Ranaut is reportedly making her way to Hollyw0ood after nearly 20 years in Bollywood. According to Variety, the Queen star is set to take on a major role in a new horror drama titled Blessed Be the Evil. The upcoming project also stars Tyler Posey, known for his role in Teen Wolf, and Scarlet Rose Stallone, the daughter of Sylvester Stallone. Filming is set to begin soon in New York, and the production team is carefully selecting a location where President Donald Trump's tariffs won't become a financial burden. Kangana's move to Hollywood comes after her 2025 film Emergency received an underwhelming response from audiences. Also read: Senior journalist and author of 'The Emergency' to sue Manikarnika Films and Netflix for historical inaccuracies in Kangana Ranaut's film After initially dismissing the idea of following in the footsteps of her Bollywood co-stars like Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone by working in the Hollywood industry, Kangana finally seems onboard to give a shot to the upcoming Anurag Rudra directorial. Rudra is known for his work in New Me and Tailing Pond. According to the outlet, he also co-wrote the script alongside Gatha Tiwary, the president of Lions Movies. The production is being overseen by Wade Muller, who has worked on films like Elephant White and Occupation: Rainfall. Though the story will follow a traditional folklore from India set against a Western backdrop, Kangana's role has not been revealed yet. However, the makers are extremely thrilled to have someone as exceptional as her, having won multiple National Film Awards, leading their thrilling and suspenseful horror film, which is already on the radar of several international buyers. The film will pitch its idea at the upcoming Cannes Film Market, after kicking off production this summer. Also read: Inside Kangana Ranaut's 'century-old' MP bungalow in New Delhi, actor says it 'wasn't easy to restore'. See pics According to Variety, Blessed Be the Evil will follow the life of a Christian couple who decide to live alone, away from the hustle and bustle, after losing their child through miscarriage. They buy an old farm, but little do they know, it has a dark and mysterious history. As they try to rebuild their lives, they face an evil force that tests their faith and love. Speaking about the film, Rudra said, 'Being born and spending my childhood in rural India, I was told stories that got embedded in my mind and heart.' According to him, these folk tales are so special that he wanted to bring them to a global audience through cinema. Gatha Tiwary added that Blessed Be the Evil is a unique story, filled with suspense and drama. ' Movies have developed a spine-chilling narrative with unprecedented suspense and drama. It also has great potential for international markets, both in streaming and selling.' Speaking of the cast, Kangana, who recently made her directorial debut with Emergency, where she portrayed India's former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, brings her star power to the project. Tyler Posey has already worked in a horror film before called Truth or Dare. Scarlet Rose Stallone has worked in films like Reach Me and The Gunslingers with Nicolas Cage. Earlier, speaking about her Hollywood plans, Kangana, on The Kapil Sharma Show, said that she isn't planning to do so anytime soon, saying, 'Humare yaha pe itne talented log hai na, to humein kahin aane-jaane ki zarurat nahi hai. Ab jaise ki, world has become one place na, to sab log yaha kaam karte hain, waha ke log yaha pe kaam kar rahe hain.' (India has so many talented people, so we don't have to go anywhere and work now. Now, the world has become one place, and Hollywood people are working here.)
Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Kangana Ranaut's film company and Netflix sued by senior journalist and author for historical inaccuracies in their film, Emergency
Manikarnika Films Pvt Ltd, a company owned by actor Kangana Ranaut's family, and streaming platform Netflix is being sued by senior journalist and author of the book The Emergency: A Personal History, Coomi Kapoor, for an alleged breach of contract and damaging her reputation. Kapoor filed the lawsuit after she received no response to the legal notices she sent Ranaut's company and Netflix on April 3. The film, Emergency, directed and co-produced by Kangana, has the actor in the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The film opens with the disclaimer that 'the film is inspired by the book The Emergency, and Priyadarshini by Jaiyanth Vasanth Sinha', apart from materials available in the public domain. However, at the end of the disclaimer on Netflix, it says the film is 'based on' the two books. Despite the legal notice to the production house, the disclaimer has not been modified on the Netflix platform. 'The damage caused to my reputation as a journalist and author is irretrievable,' says Kapoor, contributing editor, The Indian Express. Kapoor's book, The Emergency, published by Penguin in 2015, is an account of her experiences and research of the turbulent 21 months since June 1975. According to Kapoor, Kangana's brother, Aksht Ranaut, who represented Manikarnika Films Pvt Ltd, met her in Mumbai in 2021 and sought permission to buy the rights of her book for their film to draw from a chapter that dealt specifically with Indira Gandhi. Kapoor then signed a tripartite contract with Manikarnika Films and Penguin. However, on her lawyer's advice she included two clauses, which said that while the producers have full artistic licence in making the film, nothing should be modified that was not in consonance with historical facts. The contract also stipulated that the author's name and the book should not be used for promoting the film without her prior approval. Kapoor says she was never shown the film's script. Even before the film's production was completed, she sent Aksht two WhatsApp messages after he did not respond to her repeated phone calls. Kapoor says she was travelling when the film was released in theatres (on January 17) and watched it for the first time when it released on Netflix (on March 17). Among the people who complained to Kapoor about the inaccuracies in the film was Akbar Ahmad (Dumpy), a friend of late Sanjay Gandhi. In the film, Ahmad is shown as the person behind the ban on Kishore Kumar 's songs on All India Radio. Her book, says Kapoor, clearly mentions that it was then Information and Broadcasting Minister VC Shukla who was behind the ban. The Indian Express contacted the Netflix India team, Manikarnika Films and Aksht for their reaction but they have yet to reply. The article will be updated when we receive their response.
Mint
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Kangana Ranaut and brother Aksht receive notice for ‘historical inaccuracies' in Emergency, exploiting author and book
Kangana Ranaut has landed in a new controversy for her last release, Emergency. Veteran journalist and author Coomi Kapoor has filed a lawsuit against Kangana Ranaut's Manikarnika Films Pvt Ltd and streaming platform Netflix, accusing them of breaching their contract and damaging her reputation by claiming that Kangana's film is based on her book, The Emergency: A Personal History. The author claimed that Emergency is filled with 'historical inaccuracies" for which her book is being held responsible. She also expressed that the film's distorted portrayal has led to breach of trust. Kapoor sent notices to Kangana and her brother Aksht Ranaut, the producer of Emegency, in the matter earlier this month. 'I phoned Kangana Ranaut's brother, Aksht Ranaut, who is the producer. But have received no response till this morning. This could have easily been avoided if the script writer had even done a cursory reading of the book in which the accurate data is given,' said Kapoor to ThePrint on Tuesday. The author said that Aksht Ranaut met her in Mumbai in 2021 to buy the rights of her book to utilise a single chapter focused on Indira Gandhi. She signed a 'tripartite contract' with Manikarnika Films and Penguin, which included two key clauses in the contract. She maintains the clauses were breached. According to Kapoor, the contract clearly mentioned that her name and book couldn't be used for promotion or publicity without her written permission. While the producers are entitled to artistic freedom, Kapoor said that 'no details should be altered if they don't align with well-documented historical facts already available in the public domain.' 'I had specifically told them to not use the term 'based on' but they still did,' Kapoor said. She further claimed that she was never shown the film script. She reportedly noticed that Emergency credited her book as its source only after its release on Netflix. 'When the film was released I checked the media articles and they all said 'inspired' so I was fine. But, when I recently watched it on Netflix, it read 'based on' towards the end. In order to give credibility to their work, they used my name,' Kapoor said. Currently, Emergency, streaming on Netflix, comes with a disclaimer which reads: 'The film is inspired by the book 'The Emergency' by Coomi Kapoor and 'Priyadarshani' by Jaiyanth Vasant Shinde.' However, the last line of the disclaimer also says in bold: "'The film "Emergency" is based on the books 'The Emergency' by Coomi Kapoor and 'Priyadarshani' by Jaiyanth Vasant Shinde.' Coomi Kapoor's The Emergency was published by Penguin in 2015 and offered a detailed account of the 1975-77 Emergency period. Kapoor claimed several inaccuracies in Emergency, including wrongly showing Akbar Ahmed as the one who banned Kishore Kumar's songs - a decision she attributed in her book to then I&B Minister V.C. Shukla. She said that Ahmed himself confronted her about it after watching Emergency. 'I had to explain that my book never made such a claim,' she said. She also added, 'He wasn't the only one. Many people have called me saying, 'what have you written in the book?'." Other errors include depiction journalist Nikhil Chakravarty's imprisonment and misrepresenting the Emergency's timeline. Netflix and Manikarnika Films are yet to respond to legal notices, updated the author. First Published: 22 Apr 2025, 04:09 PM IST
Scroll.in
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
Author sues Kangana Ranaut's company for claiming ‘Emergency' film based on her book
Journalist and author Coomi Kapoor has filed a lawsuit against actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut's Manikarnika Films Private Limited and streaming platform Netflix, accusing them of damaging her reputation by claiming that the Hindi language film Emergency was based on her book The Emergency: A Personal History, reported The Print on Tuesday. Kapoor has alleged that the film contains ' glaring historical inaccuracies ' that contradict her work, mislead viewers and damage her credibility, according to Hindustan Times. The film is based on the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's government in 1975. It was released in the theatres on January 17. Emergency started streaming on Netflix on March 17 and carries a disclaimer claiming that it is based on Kapoor's The Emergency and Jaiyanth Vasanth Sinha's Priyadarshini. In addition to starring in it, Ranaut, a Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, is also the writer and director of the film. She co-produced it through her company Manikarnika Films. 'Even after two legal notices, the film still shows this disclaimer,' the author told The Telegraph. Kapoor told The Print on Tuesday that she had called Ranaut's brother, Aksht Ranaut, who is the producer of the film. 'But have received no response till this morning,' she said. 'This could have easily been avoided if the script writer had even done a cursory reading of the book in which the accurate data is given,' she said. Kapoor said that an agreement was signed between her, Manikarnika Films and Penguin, the publisher of The Emergency, after Aksht Ranaut met her in 2021. She claimed that the agreement contained two clauses that had been breached. According to Kapoor, the contract mentioned that while the producers have full artistic license in making the film, 'nothing should be modified that was not in consonance with historical facts on the subject, which are in the public domain'. The contract also mentioned that Kapoor's name and book should not be used for promoting the film without her written consent, she said. 'I had specifically told them to not use the term 'based on' but they still did,' Kapoor was quoted as saying by The Print. She also said that she was never shown the script of the film and discovered after it was released on Netflix on March 17 that it carried a disclaimer claiming to be based on her book. 'When the film was released I checked the media articles and they all said 'inspired' so I was fine,' said Kapoor. 'But, when I recently watched it on Netflix, it read 'based on' towards the end. In order to give credibility to their work, they used my name.'
