11 hrs ago
IIIT Hyderabad Cancels Umar Khalid Documentary Screening
Students at IIIT Hyderabad planned to show a documentary about Umar Khalid.
The film is called Prisoner No.
626710 is Present.
It was supposed to be shown on September 18 at the institute’s KRB Auditorium.
The Central Board of Film Certification said the film had not been certified for public screening.
It warned that showing it without certification or a special exemption could break the law.
IIIT Hyderabad then cancelled the event.
The institute said the screening was not officially connected to it and had not received permission.
The filmmaker is Lalit Vachani, and Umar Khalid is currently in jail.
IIIT Hyderabad cancelled a proposed campus screening of the documentary Prisoner No. 626710 is Present.
The screening was scheduled for 8 p.m. on September 18 at the institute’s KRB Auditorium.
The Central Board of Film Certification warned that exhibiting an uncertified film could violate the Cinematograph Act.
IIIT Hyderabad said an informal student group organised the proposal without official permission or required protocols.
The documentary, directed by Lalit Vachani, concerns jailed student leader and activist Umar Khalid.
- Who
- An informal student group at the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad proposed the screening; the Central Board of Film Certification and IIIT Hyderabad opposed it.
- What
- A planned screening of the documentary Prisoner No. 626710 is Present was cancelled.
- Where
- The proposed venue was the KRB Auditorium on the IIIT Hyderabad campus in Hyderabad, India.
- When
- The screening was scheduled for 8 p.m. on September 18; the CBFC warning was issued on September 17, 2026, according to the article.
- Why
- The CBFC said the film was uncertified, while IIIT Hyderabad said no official permission or required protocols had been followed.
Student Group’s Proposed Screening
Regulatory and Institutional Objections
Whether the documentary should be shown
Student Group’s Proposed Screening
An informal group of students proposed screening the documentary about Umar Khalid at the institute’s KRB Auditorium.
Regulatory and Institutional Objections
The CBFC said public exhibition of an uncertified documentary violates the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been obtained.
Connection to IIIT Hyderabad
Student Group’s Proposed Screening
The proposed event was associated with students on the IIIT Hyderabad campus.
Regulatory and Institutional Objections
IIIT Hyderabad said the event was not institute-organised or authorised, and that no official permission had been obtained.
Campus screening rules
Student Group’s Proposed Screening
The student group announced a screening without completing the institute’s stated approval process, according to IIIT Hyderabad.
Regulatory and Institutional Objections
The institute cancelled the event and said no public or private screening of the film would be permitted in any institute space.
Key facts
- Documentary
- Prisoner No. 626710 is Present
- Director
- Lalit Vachani
- Proposed venue
- KRB Auditorium, IIIT Hyderabad
- Scheduled time
- 8 p.m. on September 18
- Regulator
- Central Board of Film Certification
- Institute’s position
- The screening was unauthorised and had no official connection to IIIT Hyderabad
- Subject
- Umar Khalid, a jailed student leader and activist
Quotes
Central Board of Film Certification
India’s film-certification authority that flagged the proposed screening
“Public screening of a documentary film that has not yet been certified by the CBFC is a violation of the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been sought under the Act.”
theprint.in
IIIT Hyderabad
The Hyderabad deemed university that cancelled the proposed campus event
“Since no official permission was taken for this, nor were any of the required protocols followed, the institute promptly cancelled the screening as soon as it was made aware of such an unauthorised event.”
theprint.in
Sources
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