Delhi High Court Rejects Pleas to Stop Release of 'The Taj Story', Directs Petitioners to Approach Government
The Delhi High Court refused to halt the release of the film 'The Taj Story' starring Paresh Rawal, stating the judiciary should not act as a 'Super Censor Board.' It noted the petitioners failed to approach the central government or Censor Board before filing PILs alleging historical distortion and communal tension. The court allowed withdrawal of pleas and advised petitioners to seek redress under the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
The Delhi High Court on October 30, 2025, declined to stop the release of 'The Taj Story,' a film starring Paresh Rawal that questions conventional narratives about the Taj Mahal. The court emphasized that the judiciary's role is not to censor films but that petitioners should follow legal procedures by approaching the Central government or the Censor Board under Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, for certification disputes. The court criticized the petitioners for naming actor Paresh Rawal as a respondent when he merely performed his professional duties. No prior government representation was made before filing the Public Interest Litigations, which alleged that the film’s trailer, showing the Taj Mahal dome lifting to reveal a figure of Lord Shiva, misrepresents history and risks communal disharmony. The court permitted the petitioners to withdraw their pleas but ordered the removal of Paresh Rawal's name from the case. The film is scheduled for nationwide release on October 31, 2025, and explores controversial legal and intellectual debates about the Taj Mahal’s origins, challenging accepted historical accounts through the story of a local guide initiating a lawsuit. The release decision reflects judicial reluctance to intervene preemptively in creative works without due administrative review.
