Desk
Share
In Bollywood, comparisons between actresses are common, especially when they portray the same historical figure. Recently, both Kangana Ranaut and Fatima Sana Shaikh played Indira Gandhi, leading to a wave of discussions on who did it better.
While Kangana directed and starred in Emergency, a film centered on Indira Gandhi, Fatima played the former Prime Minister in Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur. Now, Fatima has shared her thoughts on the comparisons.
Fatima Hasn't Watched Emergency Yet!
In a recent interview with Bollywood Bubble, Fatima revealed that she hasn't seen Emergency yet. However, she did watch its teaser and trailer and was impressed by Kangana's performance.
"Mujhe to Kangana bohot pasand hai." (I really like Kangana.)
She further acknowledged that Kangana’s film had more scope to explore Indira Gandhi’s life, as Emergency is based entirely on her.
"Back then also, Emergency was announced, and they had released a teaser of it. Emergency is based on Indira (Gandhi)."
Different Approaches to Playing Indira Gandhi
Fatima emphasized that there are multiple ways to portray the same character, depending on the director’s vision.
"Meghna Gulzar was very clear about how she wanted her Indira to be played. She makes you perform only the bits that she knows she will use. The Indira I played was Meghna's Indira."
Unlike Emergency, where Indira Gandhi is the focal point, Sam Bahadur was primarily about Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, with Indira Gandhi appearing as a supporting character.
Fatima Praises Kangana’s Acting
Despite the inevitable comparisons, Fatima had nothing but praise for Kangana’s performance.
"I think Kangana is a fabulous actor. And the way she has performed, what I saw in the teaser and trailer—kitna acha perform kiya hai!" (She has performed so well!)
She speculated that Emergency likely delves deeper into Indira’s life, possibly covering her childhood and the political crisis of the Emergency era.
Final Thoughts
Rather than engaging in who did it better debates, Fatima appreciated Kangana's efforts and recognized that both performances were shaped by their respective directors’ visions.
While Emergency takes a comprehensive look at Indira Gandhi’s reign, Sam Bahadur presented a specific perspective of her role in history.
Bollywood fans now have two different portrayals of Indira Gandhi—and both deserve to be appreciated in their own right.
