Video Of Old Anti-Waqf Act Rally in Tamil Nadu Shared As Protest Against ‘Udaipur Files’

An 18-second video purportedly showing a massive rally by Muslims raising Islamic slogans is going viral with the claim that it shows a protest against the film, “Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder,” which was set to hit cinemas on July 11 before the Delhi High Court, on July 10, ordered a stay on the film’s release. The archived version of the post can be seen here.

What Is ‘The Udaipur Files’ Controversy?

The movie, starring Vijay Raaz and based on the 2022 murder of a tailor from Udaipur over a post he shared on social media, found itself in a legal soup after several petitions were filed seeking a stay on its release. It had sparked concern that it may cause law-and-order problems and communal clashes as it features a controversial statement by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. As of July 14, the producers have moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court’s stay, while the petitioners against the release presented their case before the Centre.

Fact Check

Newschecker ran a reverse image search of keyframes, which led us to the same video uploaded on Instagram on May 7, 2025, around a couple of months before the controversy surrounding the movie.

Comparison of a screengrab from the viral video (left) with a frame from the clip uploaded on May 7, 2025.  

A further search led us to a similar video of the rally uploaded on Instagram on April 14, 2025, stating that it was a protest against the Waqf act in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu. 

We also found a video on Youtube uploaded on the same date, where we got a clearer view of the stage and the banner seen in the backdrop of the protest rally in the viral video.

The Tamil banner states that it is a public meeting in Krishnagiri demanding the withdrawal of the Waqf Amendment Act. The date of the protest was listed as April 14, 2025 and the location was identified as “Near Anna Statue, New Bus Stand.”

A relevant keyword search led us to multiple news reports and social media posts from April 14, 2025, seen here, here and here, stating that there was a massive protest  in Krishnagiri opposing the passing of the Waqf Amendment Act, which officially came into effect after receiving presidential assent on April 8, 2025.

Taking a cue from the reports and the translation of the banner, we looked up the corresponding location on Google Maps, which was found to be on the Bangalore Road near the Krishnagiri bus stand. A comparison confirms that it is the same location seen in the viral video.

Also Read: 2021 Photo Shared with False Claim of Injured Child in ‘Myanmar Drone Attack’

Conclusion

Old video of a massive protest against the Waqf act in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, passed off as a stir against the film, “Udaipur Files.”

Sources
Google Maps
Instagram post, May 7, 2025