10-07-2025
'Not Community, But Crime Specific Movie': CBFC To Delhi HC On 'Udaipur Files' Controversy
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The CBFC told the Delhi High Court that it has done a "great job" by directing the "removal/modification" of 55 portions of the movie, 'Udaipur Files'
The Central Board of Film Certification on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that the movie, Udaipur Files, is not 'community specific, but crime specific" while arguing against a plea seeking a ban on it.
During the hearing on the matter, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told the court that it has done a 'great job" by directing the 'removal/modification" of 55 portions of the movie.
'Dialogues of the film have been modified suitably; Nootan Sharma has been removed. The board has done a great job. It directed for removal/modification of 55 portions of the movie. The board is conscious of the fact that you directly or indirectly don't target a particular community," said advocate Chetan Sharma appearing for the CBFC. 'It's not a community specific but crime specific movie, which has been made to promote harmony and caution people that harmony is being disrupted by certain foreign elements."
The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a clarification from the parties on the observations made by the Supreme Court in related proceedings pertaining to release of movie 'Udaipur Files" which is based on tailor Kanhaiya Lal murder case.
A top court bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi on Wednesday refused to urgently list a plea challenging screening of the movie and orally observed: 'Let the film be released".
The top court observation was made after a counsel, appearing for one of the accused in the murder case, said the release of the film will prejudice the trial.
'In newspapers we saw the matter was in SC, which was refused, saying 'let the screening go on'," the HC bench said.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners seeking a ban on the movie, submitted that only listing of the matter was requested before the apex court, not a stay.
'Mentioning was rejected, not the request for stay. The SC did not even see the case file," Sibal said, requesting time to get a clarification from the top court on Wednesday's observation on release of the film.
The apex court's observations on the issue was reported in media.
The high court would hear the plea again at 2.30 PM.
Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal was murdered in June 2022 allegedly by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous.
The assailants had later released a video claiming the murder was in reaction to the tailor allegedly sharing a social media post in support of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma after her controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed.
The case was probed by the National Investigation Agency and the accused were booked under stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), besides provisions under the Indian Penal Code.
The trial is pending before the special NIA court in Jaipur.
(With PTI inputs)
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