Kangana Ranaut’s film Emergency is facing legal issues, as the Patna High Court has sent notices to her and others involved. This follows a petition filed by Kalpana Singh, the daughter-in-law of renowned poet Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’. The petition claims that the film used a famous line from Dinkar’s poem ‘Singhasan Khali Karo Ki Janata Aati Hai’ in its promotional material and song without permission. The court heard the petition and issued notices to Kangana Ranaut and the film’s producer, but did not ban the movie’s release, allowing it to be shown in theaters.

The film was released in January 2025 even without a response from the filmmakers. Kalpana Singh has accused the producers and Kangana Ranaut of copyright infringement. The movie, featuring Kangana as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was released in theaters on January 17, 2025. The case continues to generate interest, given Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’s status as a renowned Indian poet. The Patna High Court has set the next hearing for March 7, 2025, a significant milestone in the ongoing legal dispute. On the other hand, the response for Emergency has been quite poor and the film opened to low footfalls. Shows are disrupted across Punjab and other states.