'Udaipur Files' Producers Move Supreme Court To Challenge High Court Stay Order

Uncertainty over the release of the film 'Udaipur Files' continues as the producers have moved to the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court, which ordered a stay, while the petitioners against the release today presented their case before the Centre.

The Supreme Court will be hearing the matter tomorrow. Meanwhile, the petitioners today gave a representation to the Centre over the stay on the film's release. The petitioners told NDTV that they have requested the Centre to lift the interim stay 

Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, appearing for the filmmakers, appealed for an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order.

Mr Bhatia told the court that the theatres were set to screen the film on Friday, but the court stayed the release on Thursday at 8 PM.

The petitioners had contended before the high court that the sole purpose of the film is to vilify one particular (Muslim) community, and it is the worst form of hate speech.

Only 12 hours were left for the release of the movie when the ban was issued, he told the court. He further informed the court that a partial working day bench of the top court has refused to grant an urgent hearing to stay the release and yet the high court stayed the release.

The Delhi High Court last week had stayed the release of the movie till Monday, which is said to be based on the brutal murder of a tailor from Udaipur over a post he shared on social media.

While directing the Centre to decide the matter in one week, the high court said that the petitioners can also press the Centre for further stay beyond Monday.

The high court, while granting a stay, noted that the producer's reply included an admission that a teaser of the movie was released without certification. "It is thus apparent that the producer has admitted uploading a teaser which contained even portions of the film that were ordered to be taken down," the bench said.

The court noted that the producer's reply included an admission that a teaser of the movie was released without certification. "It is thus apparent that the producer has admitted uploading a teaser which contained even portions of the film that were ordered to be taken down," the bench said.

It was observed that a trailer was certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on July 2 with cuts from the teaser, which was uploaded on June 26. The film was cleared by the board for screening on June 20.