The CBFC’s notice, posted on X, warned that any public screening of the documentary "Prisoner No. 626710 is Present"—directed by Lalit Vachani—would breach the Cinematograph Act unless an exemption is obtained.
IIIT Hyderabad’s administration issued a statement saying neither the institute nor any recognised student body had organized the screening, and that the student group had since pulled the event. A student who had planned to attend said he was disappointed but understood the legal constraints.
The move follows a similar postponement at National Law School of India University, where the student‑run Law and Society Committee had to delay a screening after protests from the RSS‑affiliated ABVP. The NLSIU event was slated for September 14 to mark Political Prisoners’ Day.
Khalid, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University research scholar, was detained in September 2020 on allegations linked to the Delhi riots and has since faced charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The documentary chronicles Khalid’s six‑year incarceration and draws parallels to revolutionary Jatindra Nath Das, who died after a hunger strike in 1929.
The CBFC’s warning underscores the legal requirement for film certification, and the incident highlights the tightrope universities walk between freedom of expression and regulatory compliance. The Institute is expected to review its event protocols, while the CBFC may issue further enforcement actions if future screenings occur without clearance.