The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to urgently list a plea seeking a stay on the release of the film Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder, effectively allowing the screening to go ahead despite concerns raised by the petitioner.
The plea, filed by Mohammed Javed, the eighth accused in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case, sought to halt the release of Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder until the trial concludes.
Advocate Pyoli, appearing before a bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi, argued that the film’s release on July 11 would compromise Javed’s right to a fair trial and pressed for immediate listing.
The bench, however, refused early hearing and directed the counsel to mention the matter before the appropriate bench after the court reopens on July 14, effectively clearing the way for the film’s scheduled release.
The film is based on Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor who was hacked to death by two Muslims in Rajasthan’s Udaipur in June 2022 for social media posts supporting then BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her inflammatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed. One of the assailants, identified as Riyaz, attacked Kanhaiya Lal with a sharp weapon while the other recorded the killing on his mobile phone.
The petitioner argued that Udaipur Files appears communally provocative based on its trailer and promotional material.
They said releasing the film while the trial is underway could prejudice judicial proceedings by portraying the accused as already guilty and cementing the narrative as conclusive.
Citing Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act, which empowers the Central Government to revoke a film’s certification in public interest, the petitioner urged authorities to invoke the provision to halt the release.
The film, directed by Bharat S. Shrinate and starring Vijay Raaz in the lead role, is slated for release on July 11.
Earlier titled Gyanvapi Files—a reference to the historic mosque in Varanasi contested by Hindutva groups as built over a demolished temple—the film was later renamed Udaipur Files.
On Saturday, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Arshad Madani said the organisation has approached the High Courts of Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat seeking a stay on the film’s release. The group alleged that the film promotes Hindutva propaganda, vilifies an entire religious community and threatens social harmony and mutual respect among citizens.
Reliance Entertainment, the film’s distribution partner, has faced criticism for backing a project that depicts Muslims through Islamophobic tropes.
