Delhi High Court Denies Interfering with 'The Taj Story' Release

The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to intervene in the release of the film 'The Taj Story,' featuring actor Paresh Rawal, asserting that the judiciary should not act as a 'Super Censor Board.' The court's Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, addressed two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) challenging the movie's release over alleged historical inaccuracies and potential disruptions to communal harmony.

The Bench questioned the inclusion of actor Paresh Rawal as a respondent in the petitions, emphasizing that he was merely fulfilling his professional obligations. 'Why involve the actor?' the judges remarked, drawing a parallel with not holding a lawyer accountable for a client's case. They insisted that Rawal bears no responsibility for the film's content.

Further, the court noted that the petitioners, advocates Chetna Gautam and Shakeel Abbas, had not pursued adequate preliminary steps before their court approach, including consulting the central government or censor board. Central Government Standing Counsel Ashish Dixit confirmed the lack of prior representations. Consequently, the Bench allowed the withdrawal of the petitions and instructed petitioners to engage with the government under the Cinematograph Act for certification reviews. The movie is set for release on October 31, 2025.