The Delhi High Court on Thursday (July 10) stayed the release of Udaipur Files, which was supposed to release in theatres today, July 11. The movie is based on the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in 2022. The HC allowed the Islamic clerics’ body Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind and other petitioners to approach the Centre for a review of the certification granted by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Udaipur Files: Delhi High Court Stays Release Of Vijay Raaz-Starrer; Directs Petitioners To Approach Centre
Udaipur Files, which is based on tailor Kanhaiya Lal murder case, stars Vijay Raaz. It is jointly directed by Bharat S. Srinet and Jayant Sinha. It was supposed to release on July 11.
A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal directed the petitioners to approach the central government within two days with their grievance, reported PTI.
"We provide that till the application for interim relief, if made by petitioner along with revision petition, is decided by government, release of the film shall remain stayed," the bench said.
During the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal called Vijay Raaz starrer Udaipur Files, "vicious" and "cinematic vandalism", and urged the judges to watch it.
The petitions were filed by Maulana Arshad Madani, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president and principal of Darul Uloom Deoband, where they claimed that the movie's trailer, released on June 26 was filled with dialogues and instances that had led to communal disharmony in 2022, and it has the tendency to add fuel to it.
"Where is this country going? This is not right for the country. Please don't let this kind of malicious work go in public. This is certainly not art. It's cinematic vandalism. Saying in national interest, in the interest of the fraternity," Sibal said.
He also submitted the producer had a history of making hateful incitements.
The bench observed the producer uploaded the trailer of Udaipur Files along with the part that was ordered to be taken down.
It also noted the submission of additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma, representing the film certification board, that necessary action warranted under law would be taken by the Central Board of Film Certification.
The bench directed the petitioner to approach the government latest by Monday.
"Once the petitioner approaches central government by filing revision petition, same shall be considered and decided by government within one week and of course after giving opportunity to the producer," the court said.
The bench also said that clearing film for release was experts' job, and "any judicial intervention should be very limited".
The ASG, told the court that the film was a work of fiction based on certain real life incidents, "with limited artistic freedom".
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"It is a crime film which actually warns people that your harmony is being disturbed by someone in a foreign country. It is not community specific, it is crime specific. Whole theme is that these seeds of communal disharmony is engineered and propagated across the border by a concerted mechanism. Yesterday on the streets of Karachi, those very persons for whom Operation Sindoor was conducted, again got together under aegis of ISIS," the ASG said.
When the court asked, "What is to do with the film?" the ASG replied, "The film cautions people here. It is a crime film, suggests that we all should live together. That's the theme. If someone has problem with that, I have nothing to say."
The producer of the film added, "This is typical plot of India-Pakistan. Petitioner has taken dialogues out of context."
Prior to the High Court's order, the Supreme Court on the same day, clarified it did not pass any written order when it refused to urgently list the plea against the screening of the movie.
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The clarification from a bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi came after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the accused Mohammed Javed, said there was a confusion on the bench's remark, "Let the film be released".
Tailor Kanhaiya Lal, who hailed from Udaipur, Rajasthan, was murdered on June 28, 2022, allegedly by Muhammad Riyaz Attari and Muhammad Ghaus.
They had later released a video claiming the murder was in reaction to the tailor allegedly sharing a social media post in support of former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma after her controversial comments against Prophet Mohammed.
The case was investigated by the National Investigation Agency and the accused were booked under stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), besides provisions under the Indian Penal Code.
The trial is still pending before the special NIA court in Jaipur.
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