New Delhi [India], July 7 : A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking to halt the release of the Bollywood film Udaipur Files, which is reportedly inspired by the 2022 murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan's Udaipur.
Filed by Maulana Arshad Madani, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and Principal of Darul Uloom Deoband, the petition alleges that the film may incite communal discord and threaten social harmony.
The petition cites the film's trailer, released on June 26, 2025, as containing inflammatory material. It includes alleged references to controversial remarks made by suspended political leader Nupur Sharma and portrays a current Chief Minister in a biased light. According to the petitioner, such elements could rekindle communal tensions reminiscent of 2022.
The petition asserts that the trailer distorts the facts of the 2022 murder, implying a conspiracy involving religious figures and institutions, whereas the actual perpetrators were two individuals with extremist motives. The film is accused of portraying Deoband as a hub of radicalism and casting Islamic scholars in a negative role, an act the petitioner says threatens the dignity and safety of the community.
The petition claims that Udaipur Files violates Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Indian Constitution, which safeguard equality, protection from discrimination, and the right to a dignified life. It argues that artistic freedom cannot be used as a cover for spreading hate or polarizing society, warning that the film undermines India's secular values.
The plea further objects to references in the film to unresolved legal disputes, such as the Gyanvapi Mosque case. It warns that dramatizing sensitive topics under litigation could be tantamount to contempt of court and fuel social unrest.
The petition filed under Article 226 has also been lodged in the High Courts in Maharashtra and Gujarat. It names the Union Government, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), production houses and X Corps as parties to the case. The CBFC's decision to certify the film is being challenged as allegedly violating the Cinematograph Act of 1952 and related guidelines.
Public Statements from Maulana Madani condemned the film as a calculated attempt to malign a religious community and weaken the nation's secular framework. He criticized the CBFC for allegedly failing its regulatory responsibilities and enabling divisive forces. He emphasised that the trailer includes deeply offensive content, especially relating to Prophet Muhammad and his wives, that mirrors previous controversies that sparked national and global outrage.
Madani concluded by asserting that the right to free speech must not be misused to inflame religious sentiments. Legal steps, he stated, have been taken to hold both the film's creators and certifying authorities accountable.