Earlier, the film was called Gyanvapi Files, in reference to the historic mosque in Varanasi, claimed by Hindutva groups to have been built on the site of a demolished temple
NEW DELHI — A prominent Muslim organisation in the country has approached the high courts of Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat against the release of the Hindutva propaganda film “Udaipur Files—Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder”.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Arshad Madani faction) said on Saturday that it has approached the courts against the film as it “completely maligns a particular religious community, potentially fuelling hatred and seriously threatening mutual respect and social harmony among citizens.”
The film is based on Kanhaiya Lal, the tailor hacked to death by two Muslims in Rajasthan’s Udaipur in June 2022 for social media posts supporting the then BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her inflammatory comments against Prophet Muhammad. One of the assailants, identified as Riyaz, attacked Kanhaiya Lal with a sharp weapon while the other recorded the crime on his mobile phone.
“The film’s trailer includes the controversial statement made by Nupur Sharma, which had not only set the entire country on fire but also caused adverse impact on the friendly relations of our country with other nations – damaging the image of our great nation at the global stage, and then forced the BJP to expel her from the party,” Jamiat president Maulana Arshad Madani said in a statement posted on X.
According to media reports, Udaipur Files is scheduled to be released on 11 July. The film is directed by Bharat S. Shrinate with Vijay Raaz joining as the lead role.
Earlier, the film was called Gyanvapi Files, in reference to the historic mosque in Varanasi, claimed by Hindutva groups to have been built on the site of a demolished temple.
“The trailer presents objectionable remarks against the Prophet of Islam and his holy wives, which could disturb 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).” Malana Madani’s post said.
He also pointed out that the film mentions sensitive and pending issues like the Gyanvapi Mosque, which are currently under consideration in the Varanasi District Court and the Supreme Court.
“Such content is a violation of the fundamental rights granted under Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Indian Constitution,” he added.
Reliance Entertainment is the distribution partner of the film that depicts Muslims with Islamophobic tropes.
In his petition, Maulana Madani has made the Union of India, the Central Board of Film Certification, Johnny Fire Fox Media Pvt. Ltd., and X Corps parties to the case, as they are involved in the production and release of the film. The petition, filed under Article 226 of the Constitution, has been prepared by Supreme Court advocate Fuzail Ayyubi.
It states that under the guise of freedom of expression, the film showcases objectionable scenes that have nothing to do with Islam, Muslims, or Deoband. “The film includes extremely vulgar and hate-filled dialogues. The trailer alone reveals anti-Muslim sentiment; one can only imagine the kind of dialogues and scenes the full film will contain”, the petition said.
