Delhi high court refuses to stay Batla House, film to be released on 15 August as scheduled

The Delhi high court has cleared the release of the John Abraham-starrer thriller Batla House, which was scheduled to hit theatres on 15 August.

Two persons accused in the actual Batla House encounter of 2008, Ariz Khan and Shehzad Ahmad, had filed a plea in the high court seeking postponement of the film's release on the grounds that it could affect their trial which is currently on in a lower court. 

But the high court decided not to stay the film's release after the makers agreed to make some cuts and add a disclaimer in one of the scenes that they do not endorse the views of either party.

The makers of Batla House welcomed the verdict. “The makers of Batla House are grateful to the Delhi high court and its esteemed officers for viewing the sundry petitions against our film in favour of releasing the film as planned and unhindered on August 15, 2019, Independence Day,” they said in a statement.

The makers are now carrying out the changes suggested by the court. “The makers have conceded to the minor changes ordered by the esteemed court and are working to have these reflected immediately," the statement continued. 

Directed by Nikkhil Advani and starring John and Mrunal Thakur, Batla House is based on the controversial encounter that took place in a building of the same name in Delhi in 2008 in which two suspected members of the Indian Mujahideen terrorist group were gunned down and a police officer also lost his life. 

The film will now be released as scheduled on Thursday 15 August along with Akshay Kumar’s Mission Mangal.