The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has officially rejected all petitions asking for a ban or more changes to the film ‘Udaipur Files’, a movie inspired by the 2022 killing of a tailor named Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan.
This decision clears the way for the movie’s release on August 8, despite ongoing concerns from some groups.
The Ministry said that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had already followed all legal steps before giving the film a certificate. In fact, the CBFC had asked the filmmakers to make 55 changes to the movie before giving its approval. The producers also made some extra edits on their own.
In its detailed order, the Ministry said that people who opposed the film’s release were not able to give strong enough reasons for the government to take any further action.
This decision comes after a recent Delhi High Court hearing on August 1. The Court had asked the Ministry to take another look at the film and decide fairly, based on the law. This happened after the government said it would review its earlier decision and make a new one.
One of the petitions was filed by Maulana Arshad Madani, President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Another petitioner was one of the accused in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. They argued that the film portrays Muslims in a negative light and could hurt the legal rights of those on trial for the murder. They were concerned that the movie might influence public opinion and make a fair trial difficult.
Also Read: Amit Jani, producer of ‘Udaipur Files’, gets Y-category security
Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Udaipur, was murdered in June 2022 by two men who were angered by his support of BJP leader Nupur Sharma. She had made controversial remarks about Prophet Muhammad, which caused protests and sparked tension across the country. Lal had shared a WhatsApp status backing her, which reportedly led to his death.
The movie ‘Udaipur Files’ bases itself on this incident and was originally about to release on July 11. However, the Delhi High Court temporarily blocked the film’s release and asked the Centre to review it again using its powers under the Cinematograph Act.
Following this, the producers of the film took their case to the Supreme Court, but the top court did not overrule the High Court’s decision. As a result, the Ministry formed a review panel to watch the movie and suggest what to do next.