The Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued an interim stay on the release of the film 'Rajdhani Files,' which is said to be critical of Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, until Friday. The court has also directed that all records related to the movie be presented before it.

The film, which aims to shed light on the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government’s proposal to establish three capitals in Andhra Pradesh, was scheduled for theatrical release on Thursday. The High Court had earlier reserved its orders on a stay petition filed by MLC and YSRCP general secretary Lella Appi Reddy.

Justice N. Jayasurya reserved his order on the petition challenging the censor certificate issued to the movie.Appi Reddy’s counsel, VRN Prashant, argued that the characters in the movie resemble Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and former minister Kodali Nani. He claimed that even the names given to the characters are similar to those of the Chief Minister and former minister.

The petitioner alleged that the movie is being released just before the elections to malign the present government and the Chief Minister. He stated that certain scenes in the film are defaming the Chief Minister and misled people by distorting facts.

The trailer of the film was released on February 5. The petitioner's counsel argued that the Chief Minister and the government are portrayed negatively for selfish political reasons.

Asserting that freedom of expression has limits, he argued that the filmmakers had crossed that line to defame the ruling party ahead of the upcoming elections.The petitioner's counsel also contended that since the issue of capital cities is sub judice, making a film on the same topic is inappropriate.

U. Muralidhar Rao, representing the movie’s producers, informed the court that the film is not intended to malign anyone.The court was informed that the producers had agreed to the revision committee's suggestions after the censor board recommended the deletion of some scenes. The censor certificate was issued after certain scenes were removed based on the revision committee's recommendations.

Written and directed by Bhanu, 'Rajdhani Files' features new actors Akilan and Veena in the lead roles. Kantamaneni Ravi Shankar, who contested as a TDP rebel candidate from the Avanigadda constituency in the 2019 elections, has produced the movie.