SC Defers Hearing On Film ‘Udaipur Files’ Till July 21, Asks Filmmakers To Await Centre’s Decision

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to overturn the Delhi High Court’s order halting the release of the controversial film Udaipur Files, which centers on the 2022 killing of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed the Central Government to step in and review the matter using its powers under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The Court scheduled the next hearing for July 21, 2025, and asked the Centre to deliver a decision before that date.

Film Sparks Legal & Social Tensions

Udaipur Files dramatizes the real-life murder of Kanhaiya Lal and was originally set to hit theatres on July 11, 2025. However, its release was challenged in the Delhi High Court through multiple petitions, including one filed by the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, which argued that the movie promoted communal discord and posed a threat to public peace.

Following a special screening for the petitioners’ counsel, the Delhi High Court stayed the film’s release and directed the objectors to raise their concerns with the Union Government under the Cinematograph Act’s revisional provisions.

Producers Challenge High Court Stay In Apex Court

Challenging the stay, film producers Jani Firefox Media Pvt. Ltd. approached the Supreme Court, arguing that the High Court’s order was arbitrary. Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, appearing for the filmmakers, said the movie had already received clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after implementing 55 edits. He also cited significant financial losses due to cancelled screenings and halted ticket sales.

Petitioners Call Film “Communally Provocative”

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the original petitioners, harshly criticized the film’s content. “I was shaken in every sense of the word,” he said. “If any judge were to see it, they will be shocked. Its complete theme is of hate against the community… It is something that generates violence.”

Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for murder accused Mohammed Javed, argued that the film could severely damage the fairness of the ongoing trial. “Irresponsible free speech,” she noted, “cannot override the right to a fair trial or compromise judicial dignity.”

Supreme Court Backs Statutory Process

While refusing to assess the film’s content, the Supreme Court emphasized that the Delhi High Court had appropriately redirected the matter to the Centre. Justice Surya Kant observed, “If the movie is released… there will be irreparable damage. If it is not, then you can be compensated.”

He added that judicial officers would not be easily influenced by cinema, stating, “Our judicial officers are not school-going children that they can be swayed by movie dialogues… absolutely confident about their objectivity… sense of detachment.”

The Court noted that under the Cinematograph Act, the government has the power to suspend a film’s release while objections are reviewed.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court ordered the Centre’s review committee to examine the complaints “immediately without any loss of time” and permitted representation from the murder accused in the review process.

Until the next hearing on July 21, the stay on Udaipur Files will remain in effect.

(Inputs By Sambhav Sharma)

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