GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 10th July: In a major setback for the makers of ‘Udaipur Files’, the Delhi High Court on Thursday stayed the release of the film just a day before its scheduled theatrical screening, citing concerns of hate speech and communal tension.
The movie is based on the 2022 beheading of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur. The petitioners — Maulana Arshad Madani, President of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, and journalist Prashant Tondon — sought a permanent ban on its release, arguing that it targets a particular community and poses a threat to public order.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal heard the case for over five hours and directed the Central government to review the matter and decide within a week whether the film should be allowed to release.
The court took note of the producer’s admission that a teaser of the film was uploaded without certification, and that it included uncut portions which had been ordered removed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
“It appears that the trailer released and uploaded on various platforms contained uncertified portions, prompting the CBFC to issue a notice,” the bench stated.
Additionally, the court found that some deleted scenes were posted on social media, violating provisions of the Cinematograph Act.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioners, argued that the film constitutes “the worst form of hate speech”, and poses an imminent threat to communal harmony.
The court acknowledged that while petitioners could have first approached the government under Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act, it was still within the court’s authority to intervene in such cases due to the serious nature of the allegations.
