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News18
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Delhi HC Allows 'Udaipur Files' Release, Film On Kanhaiya Lal Murder Case To Hit Screens Today
Last Updated: The Delhi High Court turned down a plea by one of the accused in the murder case, Mohd Javed, against an order clearing certification of the movie The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to stay the release of Udaipur Files, a movie based on the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. The film is scheduled to hit the screens on Friday (August 8). The court turned down a plea by one of the accused in the case, Mohd Javed, against an order clearing certification of the movie. A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela passed the order saying the petitioner failed to establish a prima facie case in his favour. 'Producer has already spent life earnings in the film and if the movie is not released the balance of convenience will be disturbed. Once a film has been certified by the Board and trial is not likely to be effected by exhibition, we find ourselves unable to agree to prayer for staying release of movie," the bench said. On Wednesday, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) dismissed all revision petitions challenging the certification of the controversial film Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder, thereby clearing the path for its public release. While allowing the release of the movie, the high court said exhibition of the film will not cause any harm. 'Trial will be conducted by the judge uninfluenced as a trained judge. He has failed to establish how irreparable loss will be caused to him if release is not stayed. Prayer for staying release is hereby rejected," it said. During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner told the court that if the film was allowed to be released, it would 'prejudice the trial". 'Right to fair trial is supreme. Witnesses are to be examined. Film is only going to prejudice the trial. Dialogues are lifted from charge sheet. Title itself says Kanhaiya Lal murder. It will affect the trial," senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for the accused, told the court. The petition was opposed by the counsel representing the government, who said the authorities have applied its mind while clearing the movie for release. 'This is as fair as it can go. As transparent as it can be," the counsel said. The counsel representing the movie produced, meanwhile, told the court that the tickets were already booked by viewers. 'Movie is to be released tomorrow. Producer has invested his lifetime saving in making this movie, which is his right as freedom of speech. Accused's name, his specific role not mentioned anywhere in film," said senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, appearing for the film producer. Bhati, also a national spokesperson for the BJP, later said this is a 'big victory" for the 'truth and freedom of expression". 🚨 बड़ी जीत 🚨उदयपुर फ़ाइल्स मामले में माननीय उच्च न्यायालय से बड़ी जीत मिली!मेरी दमदार टीम। कोर्ट ने फ़िल्म की रिलीज़ पर रोक लगाने से किया इंकार। सच की जीत, अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता की जीत। — Gaurav Bhatia गौरव भाटिया 🇮🇳 (@gauravbhatiabjp) August 7, 2025 'Big Victory. A major win from the Honorable High Court in the Udaipur Files case! My powerful team. The court refused to impose a ban on the film's release. A victory for truth, a victory for freedom of expression," Bhatia wrote on X. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
21-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Beyond TRPs: Govt's ratings reform may transform OTT audience measurement
The government's recent proposal to amend the norms for television ratings system in India, currently monopolized by Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc), encouraging big tech and other private entities to set up their own rating agencies could spark competition and help create more credible cross-platform audience measurement systems, experts said. The current system of measuring television rating points, which indicate the popularity of TV programmes and the time slot when most viewers tune in, is used by brands to place their advertisements for maximum impact. However, TRPs are restricted only to linear TVs, meaning they gauge viewerships only for cable TVs and direct-to-home, with no insight into streaming platforms or connected TVs, making it difficult for brands to make confident ad spend decisions. The ministry of information and broadcasting's (MIB) draft amendments to the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India, released on 2 July, could democratise the rating system, leading to more credible measurement systems for OTT video streaming content, too. The draft amendments are open to public feedback until 1 August. Read more: Movie theatres are back to being prime drivers of Bollywood revenue as OTT cools 'This move could encourage third-party agencies or tech firms to develop or licence audience measurement tools for OTT. Currently, most OTT platforms rely on internal (and opaque) analytics. A policy push could incentivize competition, innovation, and transparency, leading to more credible and cross-platform metrics," Anupam Shukla, partner, Pioneer Legal said. Benefits for advertisers Until now, viewership of web shows and films have only been tracked informally by select media consulting firms and agencies, leading to an opaqueness around what works. Although streaming platforms themselves have such data, very few, with the exception of foreign players such as Netflix, release the same. In the rare cases that they do, there is no standard metric for viewership of OTT programmes, creating an obstacle for advertisers to bet on such content, if it is streamed for free. That could change, industry experts say, with the availability of granular and verifiable viewership data, offering targeted advertising solutions based on user demographics, behavioural insights, content preferences, and viewing habits. Currently, Barc is the sole ratings provider on TV and didn't track connected TVs or OTT platforms, Bharati Wukkadada, associate professor in data science and technology at Mumbai's KJ Somaiya Institute of Management pointed out. Further, OTT platforms in India use their own measurement metrics and reporting formats. The absence of uniform standards made it difficult to compare or consolidate viewership data across platforms. Major Indian OTT services preferred to keep viewership data confidential, treating it as a competitive advantage rather than sharing it with industry bodies or advertisers, Wukkadada said. While data for OTT platforms can be tracked even now, the accuracy of the metrics remains questionable, agreed Natasha Treasurywala, partner at law firm Desai & Diwanji. With the entry of more rating agencies including those owned by the OTT platforms themselves, competition will increase, and the data will become far more reliable and authentic, she said. Calling the MIB move a shift aimed at making audience viewership measurement more accurate, transparent, and representative, Gaurav Sahay, founder partner, Arthashastra Legal, said that the OTT sector currently operates outside the framework of any government-mandated audience measurement system. It relies instead on proprietary and opaque data analytics managed internally by streaming platforms. 'These data sets are rarely shared with advertisers or regulators in a standardized or verifiable format. This absence of uniform measurement hinders comparability, credibility, and cross-platform audience analysis. Though the proposal primarily focuses on linear television broadcasting, it can result in consequential bearing on OTT content," Sahay said. Read more: Old Indian films find revival on OTT platforms, thanks to social media, nostalgia cravings Precision viewership data enables advertisers to move beyond traditional impression-based models to outcome-based metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and engagement duration, thereby justifying higher ad spends and improving return on investment. Access to credible, third-party audited data could bridge the trust deficit that often exists between OTT platforms and advertisers, leading to increased programmatic ad purchases and cross-platform campaigns that combine television, digital, and mobile viewership, the experts said. Further, from a regulatory standpoint, granular audience insights also assist in internal compliance with age-appropriate rating norms, language-specific targeting, and accurate content classification. However, there is a flipside to the government's move. A senior executive at a streaming platform pointed out that like TV, this could lead to multiple parties, including OTTs themselves, claiming to provide credible data that suits their interests. "Whom would the viewer trust in this case?" the executive asked. Moreover, for significant advertising, streaming content would actually have to prove to clock in significant eyeballs in mass-market areas, which remains a challenge. Yet, many see the possibility as a positive one for the industry. 'This data also supports fair market practices under competition, which can help platforms meet disclosure requirements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) guidelines, while ensuring alignment with IT Rules, 2021, and emerging privacy requirements under DPDPA (The Digital Personal Data Protection Act) frameworks," said Gaurav Gupta, founding partner at law firm Bridge Counsels. "Just as Barc ratings help shape buying decisions for television, independently verifiable OTT metrics would enable fair ad placement and unbiased audience segmentation. Ensuring transparent pricing through such metrics is also crucial to prevent potential claims of advertiser deception." Read more: Will ZEE5's new slate of content, regional push, and micro-drama help it win the OTT war?
