Chennai : The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court seeking to stop the release of the film ‘Udaipur Files – Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder’, scheduled for release on July 11, 2025. The petition, filed on Wednesday, urges the court to issue a writ of mandamus directing authorities to suspend the film’s release and ensure a re-examination of its content.
This move follows a similar plea by Raza Academy in the Delhi High Court. The controversial film is based on the 2022 murder of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor from Udaipur, Rajasthan, who was killed for allegedly posting remarks about Prophet Muhammad on social media.
The petition, filed by the Tamil Nadu unit of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind after consultations with its President Maulana Mahmood Madani and Darul Uloom Deoband rector Maulana Abul Qasim Noumani, raises serious objections to the film’s portrayal of the Muslim community. It alleges the film could incite communal disharmony and misrepresent Islam.
According to the petition, the film depicts beheading as the only punishment for blasphemy, links the slogan “Sar Tan Se Juda” with the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary, and includes scenes meant to malign Islamic scholars—including one that allegedly portrays a Muslim cleric engaged in homosexual activity. These portrayals, the petition argues, are deliberate attempts to stereotype and insult the Muslim community and Islamic faith.
The petitioner contends that while freedom of speech is guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, it is subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2) to protect public order and morality. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is also accused of failing to adhere to its duties under the Cinematograph Act and certification guidelines.
Citing the potential for social unrest and communal violence, the petitioner has requested the court to urgently issue an interim injunction to restrain the film’s exhibition until a legal review is conducted.
