Delhi HC declines urgent hearing on PIL against Paresh Rawal’s film ‘The Taj Story’

Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya said that the bench he heads will take up the petition, filed by Shakeel Abbas through advocate Shakil Sheikh, in due course. The Chief Justice noted that the matter “will be auto-listed” for future consideration.

The PIL challenges the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) approval of the film, alleging that it distorts historical facts and could provoke communal tension. It also demands that all promotional materials and film credits include a disclaimer clarifying that the movie “presents a contested narrative and is not a definitive historical account.”

The plea names the CBFC, the film’s producers, and actor Paresh Rawal as respondents. It accuses the filmmakers—C.A. Suresh Jha, Tushar Amrish Goel, and Saurabh M. Pandey—of having a record of producing “divisive and controversial” content. The petition cites the film’s trailer, released on October 16, which allegedly portrays the Taj Mahal’s dome lifting to reveal a Shiva idol—an insinuation that the monument was originally a temple.

According to the petitioner, this depiction misrepresents India’s cultural heritage and could lead to communal unrest. The plea argues that the CBFC failed to properly assess the movie’s “provocative and sensitive” content before granting certification.

Referring to Article 51A(f) of the Constitution, the petition asserts that preserving India’s heritage is a fundamental duty of both citizens and state authorities, particularly when public order or national heritage sites like the Taj Mahal—a UNESCO World Heritage monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)—are at stake.

The petitioner has urged the court to either revoke or re-examine the film’s certification or impose strict safeguards and disclaimers to prevent “historical distortion and communal provocation.” While the court declined to treat the matter as urgent, it will be taken up for hearing in due course