‘Udaipur Files’ producer to move Supreme Court after Delhi HC stays release

Amit Jani, producer of the film ‘Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder’, announced that the film-makers will move the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court ordered a stay on the film’s release until the Central Government decided on a revision petition filed by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, challenging its CBFC certification.

Jani, while reacting to the court’s interim order, said the film — which depicts the brutal murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur three years ago — was made to show the victim’s pain and the larger issues around the incident.

Expressing disappointment, he said while there had been no verdict in the actual murder case, the film had been restrained within days of its certification.

“We had screened this film for their lawyer Kapil Sibal. Even after the screening, he opposed it because he had taken fees for it,” Jani alleged, questioning the need for blocking a film that had already cleared the CBFC process.

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed that the release of the film be put on hold till the Centre decides on the revision plea filed by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind. The court asked the Union Government to take a final call within seven days on whether the certification granted by the CBFC stands valid or needs to be reconsidered.

Jani said they would challenge the interim stay in the Supreme Court at the earliest. “Today, the High Court said this film is being stayed right now. We are going to the Supreme Court to challenge this decision,” he said.