On 10th July, 2025, the Delhi High Court division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal stayed the release of the film Udaipur Files, originally set for July 12, following petitions alleging it vilifies the Muslim community and threatens communal harmony. The movie is based on the 2022 murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli in Udaipur.

The Bench directed the petitioners to approach the Central government under Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act. The government must decide on the matter within one week. Meanwhile, the film’s release is delayed.

In the previous hearing the Delhi High court had ordered for a private screening of the film and its trailer for the counsels involved, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, and Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

The petitioner, Maulana Arshad Madani’s counsel, argued that the film spreads hate speech and targets an entire community. He pointed out that the CBFC had already issued a show cause notice after the trailer's release, which allegedly violated certification rules. He further argued that the film contains scenes unrelated to its main plot and is designed to demonize the Muslim community.

Countering the arguments counsel for the CBFC claimed that 55 cuts had been made to remove sensitive content and that the film was crime-based, not community-specific. However, the Court questioned the CBFC’s inconsistent stance on digital content and its lack of penal action.

Meanwhile, counsel for the film’s producers, argued that the film depicts external interference, not religious bias, and cited the National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheet in the murder case. They said over 1,800 theaters were booked and more than 1 lakh tickets sold, but the Court held that commercial scale does not override legal concerns.

The petition also seeks a permanent ban on the film and its trailer, claiming it spreads hate speech, promotes a prejudiced narrative by falsely implicating Muslim leaders in the murder and endangers public peace.

The Court also rejected the Central government’s request to postpone the hearing, citing a similar matter pending before the Supreme Court. The Court noted that no order had been passed by the apex court and decided to proceed with the matter due to its urgency and seriousness.

Source: News