Udaipur Files Row: Who Is Opposing The Film On Kanhaiya Lal’s Murder And Why? All You Need To Know

Udaipur Files starring Vijay Raaz in the lead role is directed by Bharat S Shrinate. The movie is scheduled to hit screens on July 11, but has hit a roadblock when the Islamic cleric's body, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, filed a petition before three High Courts demanding a ban on the film's release. The makers of the film unveiled the trailer on July 4 and confirmed that Udaipur Files is based on the brutal daylight murder of Kanhaiya Lal tailor. The courts will now decide the fate of the film. 

Why is Jamiat opposing the release of the Udaipur Files?

Maulana Arshad Madani, the President of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind has approached the High Courts of Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat to prohibit the release of Udaipur Files. The movie is based on the murder of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, in June 2022. In an official post on X, he stated that the movie has the potential to incite communal violence.

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He has further claimed that Udaipur Files maligns a particular religious community and could fuel hatred. He mentions, “The trailer presents objectionable remarks against the Prophet of Islam and his holy wives, which could disturb the peace and public order in the country. The film portrays Deoband as a hub of extremism and uses extremely inflammatory language against its scholars (Ulama)." He has also stressed that the movie ‘mentions sensitive and pending issues’ like Gyanvapi Mosque, which are subjudice in the Varanasi District Court and the Supreme Court. He concluded the note by saying, ‘Such content is a violation of the fundamental rights granted under Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Indian Constitution.’

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Kanhaiya Lal Sahu's son and family members have opposed the demand to stop the release of the film and have demanded support for Udaipur Files. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, in the meanwhile, has backed the release of the film, labelling the Jamiat pushback against it ‘hypocritical’. As the controversy thickens, the Court's decision on the release of the Udaipur Files is awaited.