A day ahead of its scheduled theatrical debut, the Delhi High Court issued a stay on the release of Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder, prompting emotional reactions from the family of the slain tailor.
Yash Sahu, son of Kanhaiya Lal—whose shocking 2022 murder in Udaipur drew nationwide attention—expressed frustration at the legal decision, stating the film was intended to bring the truth to light, which is now being “suppressed.”
Referring to IANS in a statement, Sahu stated, "I want to appeal to the government. It's been three years, and we still haven't received justice. A film based on the true incident was coming out to reveal the truth, but even that has now been suppressed."
The film, which portrays the ghastly murder of Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan, was to hit the screens this Friday. But on Thursday, the High Court stepped in and put its release on hold until further orders are ordered.
This judicial move was made during hearings of petitions challenging the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certification of the film. The court is now waiting for the Union government's reply to a revision petition moved by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind challenging the CBFC certification.
Sahu cited recent legal developments to signify the disappointment of the family. "Two days back, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition lodged by one of my father's murder case accused, Javed, and cleared the release of the film. Therefore, we thought that the High Court would do the same. But the High Court has stayed the movie pending further orders. This is a matter involving the Central government, and I hope the Centre will step in.". The film deals with terrorism, not against any community," he asserted.
The division bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal ordered the interim stay after going through two different petitions—one filed by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind and the other by journalist Prashant Tandon. Both groups argued that the release of the film would fuel communal violence as the subject matter was sensitive in nature.
The court decided that the stay shall remain in place until the Centre considers the revision application against the CBFC certification and returns its response.
The decision has amplified the current controversy surrounding censorship and creative freedom, particularly for films involving true-life tragedies. As per reports, the CBFC had previously insisted upon 150 cuts in Udaipur Files, making it part of a growing list of Indian films subjected to excessive censorship.
Kanhaiya Lal was killed in 2022 after supposedly sharing a post on social media expressing support for BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, something which had ignited fury and demands for justice nationwide.
