The Delhi High Court on July 10 put a hold on the release of the film Udaipur Files, which is based on the 2022 murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal. Produced by Amit Jani, the film was set to hit theatres today.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal directed the petitioner, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani, to approach the union government within two days to seek the cancellation of the film’s CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) certificate. The Court clarified that the stay on the film’s release will remain in effect until the government decides on the interim request.
The judges also directed the union government to decide on the cancellation request within seven days. Under Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the centre has the authority to revoke a film’s certification and implement interim measures, such as suspending the certificate, upon receiving an application from an aggrieved party.
“Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, as well as the framework of the Act and the procedures followed by the Board in granting certification, we are of the view that the petitioner should first approach the union government by invoking Section 6,” the Court stated. “We also note that the centre is empowered to issue both final and interim orders. Accordingly, we permit the petitioner to file a revision under Section 6 within two days from today,” the order added.
The Court further stated, “If the petitioner approaches the centre, he may also request interim relief as provided under Section 6(c) of the Act. Once the revision petition is filed, the centre shall consider and decide the matter within a week, after granting the producer an opportunity to be heard.”
The order was issued while hearing petitions filed by three individuals, including Maulana Arshad Madani, seeking to halt the film’s release and revoke its CBFC certification.
A day earlier, on July 9, the Court had directed the film’s producer to arrange a special screening for the petitioners, following the CBFC’s submission that certain objectionable scenes had already been removed.
However, after viewing the film on July 9, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Maulana Arshad Madani, argued that the movie seeks to vilify a particular community in nearly every scene. He described the film as a form of hate speech, claiming it poses a serious threat to public order and communal harmony. According to Sibal, the film is designed to portray the community in a negative light.
In response, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) maintained that the film focuses on the crime, not on any specific community. It argued that the movie’s central message is not to target a group but to shed light on efforts by foreign elements across the border to disrupt India’s communal peace.
Representing producer Amit Jani, advocate Shreyas Lalit contended that the film is a “fictionalised narrative” that does not vilify any community but instead aims to expose external forces attempting to incite division in the country. He noted that the original, uncensored trailer had been removed on July 2 following a show-cause notice, and a revised version with necessary cuts was released the same day. Lalit also highlighted the significant financial commitment behind the release, stating that 1,800 theatres had been booked and 100,000 tickets sold in advance.
Kanhaiya Lal was murdered in June 2022 in Udaipur, where he was attacked with a cleaver for allegedly sharing a social media post supporting controversial remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma about Prophet Muhammad during a television debate in May 2022. The attackers recorded a video claiming responsibility for the killing and displayed the weapon used in the crime.
Given the highly sensitive nature of the incident, the case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The accused were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the trial is currently ongoing before a special NIA court in Jaipur.
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