When senior advocate Kapil Sibal watched the film “Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder” at a private screening, he was left shaken. He told the Supreme Court that it was not just a film, it was "vilification of a community" disguised as cinema.
"I was shaken in every sense of the word," Sibal said about the movie based on the brutal 2022 killing of an Udaipur tailor. "Not one positive aspect about the community has been shown. It is unimaginable a democratic nation certifying such a movie."
The film was set to release in theaters nationwide on July 11 when the Delhi High Court intervened, just 12 hours before showtime. For producer Amit Jani, it meant millions in losses and the threat of piracy. For Mohammed Javed, an alleged accomplice in the murder the film depicts, it was a crucial victory in preventing what he calls "trial by media”.
But for critics like Sibal, the real danger wasn't just to a fair trial – it was the potential for a piece of entertainment to spread hate against an entire religious community to millions of viewers.
The question at the center of this legal battle cuts deeper than free speech: In a country grappling with communal tensions, who decides when a story becomes too dangerous?
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What Is The Film About?
As the title suggests, the film Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder is based on the real-life 2022 murder of 42-year-old Kanhaiya Lal Teni. According to a synopsis available online, the movie is about “hard-hitting film” about the “brutal daylight murder” and “dives deep into the events, the silence, the outrage, and the battle for justice”.
In June 2022, Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teni was hacked to death in his shop by two Muslim men for purportedly sharing a social media post supporting then-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma who had made disparaging remarks about Prophet Muhammad during a debate on national television a month ago.
In his post, Lal wrote, “Nupur Sharma ne kuch galat nahi kaha, ye sab sahi aur likha huwa hai (Nupur Sharma has not said anything wrong, it's true and written)”.
The two men— Mohammad Riyaz Attari and Ghous Mohammad—recorded the murder where they boasted about the brutal act and shared the video on social media. The duo shared another video online—it was equally viral—where they were seen brandishing knives and said they would also kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The incident shook the nation and the city became communally volatile in the days that followed.
According to the 2:32 minutes-long trailer, the movie – which features Bollywood actor Vijay Raaz in the titular role, also talks about the legal challenges surrounding the Gyanvapi Mosque and is a commentary on the Mughal history in India.
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Who Is Objecting To The Film?
Mohammed Javed – an alleged accomplice in the murder, and Islamic scholar Maulana Arshad Madani, president of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, don’t want the film to be released since they believe it is “highly provocative,” filled with hate speech, and vilifies a community.
Javed says the movie will also impact his right to a free and fair trial which is still pending before an Udaipur court.
The concerns are significant: more than 100 witnesses are yet to be examined in the case, according to senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, who represents Javed. She argued that the producer's right to free speech cannot violate one's right to a fair trial, and that the movie also vilifies the judiciary.
Javed has moved the Supreme Court against the release of the film saying it impacted his right to a free and fair trial. In his plea, Javed said the court should consider if “trial by media” can be permitted on matters that are pending before a local court.
Javed isn't alone in his opposition. Islamic scholar Maulana Arshad Madani, president of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, has also challenged the film, calling it "highly provocative" and arguing that it constitutes hate speech that vilifies an entire community.
The movie trailer is replete with “dialogues and instances that had led to communal disharmony in the very recent past” and has every potential to stoke the religious and communal sentiments, Madani’s petition said.
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What Do The Producers Say?
On the other side, the filmmakers argue that delays are costing them money and threatening their creative rights. Producer Amit Jani says he finds himself unable to release the film despite holding a valid CBFC certificate after making 55 cuts ordered by the censor board.
The situation, Jani argues, not only "defeats" the purpose of the film certification process but also "empowers third parties with no real stake in the matter to stall creative works through loosely founded litigation." With copies already shipped to theaters, the film faces "a real and imminent threat of piracy and copyright infringement."
Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, representing the filmmakers, told the Supreme Court that the film should be allowed because it shows how radical elements and incidents like Lal's murder impact victims' families.
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What Happens Next?
The Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder is unlikely to release anytime soon. The Delhi High Court—which stalled the film’s release on July 10, a mere 12 hours before the movie was scheduled to hit the big screens—advised Madani to appeal before the Centre’s five-member Review Committee which is empowered to reconsider the censor board’s certification.
The Review Committee led by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as the Chairperson, along with a representative from the Home Ministry and three others heard Madani, Javed, and the producers on July 16.
The committee has not yet announced its decision. However, even then, it is not the end of the road for the filmmakers. The committee’s decision-aye or nay-will be challenged before the court.
At its core, this case raises fundamental questions about the balance between free speech and fair trial rights in a democracy. Can a film based on real events be released while those events are still being adjudicated in court? Where does artistic expression end and potential prejudice begin?
More critically, in a country where communal tensions can explode into violence, who bears responsibility for content that critics say promotes hatred? The filmmakers argue they are simply telling a story about radicalisation's impact on victims' families. Their opponents say the film reduces an entire community to negative stereotypes while the wounds of the original incident are still fresh.
The Supreme Court has kept the matter pending and is scheduled to hear arguments on July 21 depending on the committee’s final decision.
