After months of hurdles, legal battles, and censorship delays, Udaipur Files has finally made its way to cinema screens across India. The film, led by the talented Vijay Raaz, is a piercing cinematic retelling of one of the most disturbing incidents in recent Indian history: the brutal daylight murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal in 2022.
Directed by Bharat S Shrinate and Jayant Sinha, and produced by Amit Jani, Udaipur Files delves deep into the chilling reality of radicalisation and the human cost of extremism. The film faced significant political pushback and concerns about religious polarisation, resulting in delayed certification. However, the Delhi High Court, in a late-night decision on Thursday, refused to stall its release and allowed it to reach the public as scheduled on Friday.
In Udaipur, emotions ran high at a local theatre where Kanhaiya Lal’s sons, Yash and Tarun, watched the film for the first time. A seat between them remained empty, reserved in honour of their late father, with his photograph placed quietly but powerfully as a symbol of remembrance. As the scene depicting the horrific murder unfolded on screen, both sons were overcome with emotion, tears silently testifying to a loss that still haunts them.
Yash also shared that their mother, still emotionally traumatised, was unable to watch the film. A symbolic seat was kept reserved for Kanhaiya Lal’s soul, ensuring his presence was felt.
With Udaipur Files, the conversation now shifts from headlines to the silver screen — raw, unfiltered and impossible to ignore.
