| Director | Kangana Ranaut |
|---|---|
| Budget | ₹60 crore |
| Box office | ₹21.8 crore |
Following India's independence, Indira Gandhi rises within the Congress Party, initially positioned as a puppet by the Syndicate. She asserts her authority by opposing their stance on Operation Searchlight and engaging with global powers, gradually consolidating control with some support from the opposition. Her decisive leadership during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War earns her nationwide popularity. However, a 1975 verdict by the Allahabad High Court invalidates her election, prompting her to declare a national emergency, citing threats to democracy. Civil liberties are suspended, the press is censored, and opposition leaders are jailed. Her son Sanjay Gandhi gains influence during this period, implementing controversial programs such as forced sterilizations and slum demolitions. On 15 August 1975, Indira prepared to end the emergency but backs down following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Bangladesh. Eventually, after consulting with philosopher J. Krishnamurti and recognizing the harm caused, she lifts the emergency in 1977 and calls for elections, which result in a defeat for the Congress and her brief arrest. Years later, during a famine, she visits a neglected village and personally promises aid, restoring her public image and leading to her political comeback. The narrative follows her personal losses, including Sanjay Gandhi's death in a plane crash, and rising unrest in Punjab under Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Refusing to remove her Sikh bodyguards despite warnings, she is assassinated by them on 31 October 1984. The film concludes with her final speech in Odisha, where she declares her life's purpose was not to rule India but to serve it.