Delhi HC Directs Pre-Release Screening Of ‘Udaipur Files’ Amid Communal Tension Concerns

Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed a special screening of the controversial film Udaipur Files ahead of its scheduled release on July 11.

The order came as the court heard multiple petitions seeking to block the film, which is based on the 2022 murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur and has been criticized for allegedly fueling communal tensions.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), informed the bench that 40-50 objectionable scenes had been excised from the film and its trailer following CBFC recommendations prior to certification.

A division bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal mandated the screening of the edited version for all counsels, including Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for petitioners Maulana Arshad Madani, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, and Prashant Tondon.

The court asked the parties to submit their observations after viewing the film, with the matter set to continue on Wednesday.

Petitions Raise Concerns Over Communal Harmony & Constitutional Rights

The petitioners contend that the film maligns a religious community and risks inciting violence. Sibal argued that while certain scenes were cut, the overall theme remained deeply troubling, stressing that freedom of expression should not come at the cost of public order.

The petitions also invoke constitutional protections under Articles 14, 15, and 21, cautioning that dramatizing ongoing legal disputes—such as the Gyanvapi Mosque case—could amount to contempt of court.

Critics have accused the film of distorting the facts surrounding the Udaipur murder by framing it as part of a larger religious conspiracy rather than focusing on the two radicalized perpetrators.

Maulana Madani has publicly condemned the film, calling it a threat to India’s secular ethos and criticizing the CBFC for alleged regulatory lapses in permitting its release.