New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed a special screening of the controversial film 'Udaipur Files' before ruling on petitions seeking to halt its release, scheduled for July 11.

The film, inspired by the 2022 murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, has drawn sharp criticism for allegedly stoking communal tensions.

The directive came during Tuesday's hearing, where Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), informed the court that 40-50 objectionable elements had already been removed from both the trailer and the film. The CBFC had proposed these cuts before certification, and they were duly implemented.

A bench comprising Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal ordered the screening of the censored version for all counsels, including Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for petitioners Maulana Arshad Madani (President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind) and Prashant Tondon.

The court asked all parties to return with their observations after the screening, which was scheduled for later that day. The matter will resume on Wednesday.

The petitioners argue that the film vilifies a religious community and could incite violence. Sibal emphasised that freedom of expression must not override public order, stating, 'Even if certain scenes have been removed, the theme itself remains disturbing.'

The petitions also raise constitutional concerns, alleging violations of Articles 14, 15, and 21, and warn that dramatising unresolved legal matters--such as the Gyanvapi Mosque case--could amount to contempt of court. Critics further accused the film of distorting the facts of the Udaipur murder by suggesting a broader religious conspiracy instead of focusing on the two radicalised individuals involved.

Maulana Madani has publicly condemned the film, calling it a threat to India's secular fabric and criticising the CBFC for what he described as a failure in regulatory oversight. (ANI)