India court blocks release of anti-Muslim film ‘Udaipur Files’
High court intervenes after petitioners warn movie fuels communal hatred by portraying Muslims as violent and criminal
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A high court in India has halted the release of Udaipur Files, an openly anti-Muslim film accused of inciting hatred and vilifying an entire community under the guise of free expression.
The Delhi High Court issued the stay on Thursday after hearing petitions from leading Muslim organization Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani and others.
The bench, led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Anish Dayal, instructed the petitioners to submit an application to the central government requesting the cancellation of the film’s CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) certificate. The government has been ordered to decide within seven days.
Under Section 6 of India’s Cinematograph Act, the central government has the authority to suspend a film’s certification if it endangers public order or morality.
The court had earlier directed the filmmakers to organize a special screening for the petitioners after the CBFC claimed it had removed “offending portions.”
But after watching the film, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Madani, told the court the movie depicted Muslims negatively in nearly every scene and constituted hate speech designed to provoke communal unrest.
Speaking after the hearing, Maulana Madani welcomed the court’s action. “Despite the so-called edits, the film still contains dangerous scenes that spread poison in society,” he said. “The stay order strengthens the supremacy of the Constitution. It sends a clear message: freedom of expression cannot be used to justify bigotry.”
Madani added that Udaipur Files crosses a line even compared to other recent Islamophobic films. “This is not just offensive—it’s vile. The filmmakers have used a murder case to demonize an entire community, painting all Muslims as criminals. That’s why we took this to court.”
He said the ruling would serve as a precedent. “This verdict isn’t just about stopping one film—it’s about halting the agenda of those who use cinema to attack minorities and undermine peace, unity, and social harmony.”
The film is based on the 2022 murder of Kanhaiya Lal, a Hindu tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, who was killed by two Muslim men after publicly supporting BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad.
While the murder was condemned across the board, later reports revealed one of the accused, Riyaz Attari, had connections to the BJP, having attended party events and appeared in photos with local leaders.
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