Udaipur Files: "Killers Still Free, But Film Is Stayed in 3 Days", Says Kanhaiya Lal’s Son

Stay on the release of the film Udaipur Files received strong criticism from Kanhaiya Lal’s son, Yash Sahu. The film, which depicts killing of Udaipur’s tailor Kanhaiya Lal, who was stabbed 26 times by two muslim men in June 2022, after Lal showed his support for BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s remarkes on Prophet Mohammed, was stayed by the Delhi High Court on Thursday, just a day ahead of its scheduled release.

Reacting to the decision, in an interview with ANI, Yash Sahu questioned the judiciary’s swift intervention in staying the release of Udaipur Files. In a detailed statement, he highlighted that his father’s murder case has seen little progress despite the passage of nearly three years, despite the presence of direct video evidence and multiple eyewitnesses.

The murderers of Kanhaiya Lal had captured his beheading and attack on camera & circulated it online, proudly claiming responsibility.

“There were over 150 witnesses. But only 15 or 16 hearings have taken place. No day-to-day trial, no fast-track court. The case remains stuck despite clear video evidence,” Yash Sahu said.

He noted that the case is being handled by the NIA, with additional charges given to the CBI, but no conviction has yet been secured. In contrast, film Udaipur Files, attempting to portray the June 28, 2022, incident, was swiftly stayed following objections from groups like Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.

“Why does the legal system move so fast to stop a film, but not to punish murderers? What kind of justice is this?” Sahu asked.

He stressed that the film depicts how his father was allegedly killed by men linked to terror outfits with ideological backing from Pakistan.

Calling the high court’s order deeply disappointing, Sahu hoped that the producer would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court. “This should not be happening in our country. My father was killed in cold blood, and he still hasn’t received justice. And now, even a film that tells the truth is being silenced,” he said.

On July 10, 2025, the Delhi High Court halted the release of Udaipur Files until the Centre decides on a revision plea filed under Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act. The petitioners include Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and journalist Prashant Tandon. Court allowed them to move the government and ordered that the stay would remain in effect until their application is resolved, directing the Centre to decide the matter within a week.

On July 9, 2025, the high court had directed the producer of Udaipur Files, Amit Jani, to arrange a private screening of the movie and its trailer for all counsel of both parties, after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had informed the court that it had mandated 40 to 50 cuts before granting certification.

The high court had also clarified that the manner in which the case against release had been reported in media was not what truly happened in the hearing before the Supreme Court, with portals reporting that the court had asked for it to be released.

The petitions before the high court alleged that the film’s content flagrantly violates Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act and the 1991 Guidelines for Certification of Films for Public Exhibition, both of which prohibit the public exhibition of content likely to incite communal disharmony. Highlighting the two-minute fifty-three-second trailer of the movie, released on June 26, the petitioners contended that it contained highly inflammatory and provocative content.