When Movies Target Pakistan, Accountability Matters
Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan’s upcoming spy comedy Udta Teer has been denied permission for public screening in Nepal, just days before its scheduled theatrical release on October 23, 2026.
The decision follows a review by Nepal’s Central Film Censor Board. Nepal’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology informed the film’s local distributor that the movie could not be shown under a provision of the country’s cinema law. The authorities classified its content as falling within a legally restricted category.
Udta Teer follows Bilal Ahmad, a Pakistani spy played by Ayushmann Khurrana, who enters India on a mission. After an accident causes him to lose his memory, he mistakenly believes he is an Indian intelligence officer, setting up a story that blends espionage, patriotism and comedy.
Sara Ali Khan stars alongside Ayushmann in the film, directed by Aakash Kaushik in his feature-film directorial debut. The project combines political tensions with a comedic storyline, placing its characters in situations shaped by mistaken identity and conflicting loyalties.
Nepal’s decision comes under a legal provision that restricts films considered harmful to the country’s security, public order, relations with friendly nations or social harmony. The review board concluded that Udta Teer fell within the restricted category and denied permission for public exhibition.
The restriction affects the film’s planned release in Nepal, while its theatrical release in India remains scheduled for October 23, 2026. The decision has also drawn attention to how films involving sensitive international relationships can face different regulatory responses across markets.
Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan’s upcoming spy comedy Udta Teer has been denied permission for public screening in Nepal, just days before its scheduled theatrical release on October 23, 2026.
Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan’s upcoming spy comedy Udta Teer has been denied permission for public screening in Nepal, just days before its scheduled theatrical release on October 23, 2026.
The decision follows a review by Nepal’s Central Film Censor Board. Nepal’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology informed the film’s local distributor that the movie could not be shown under a provision of the country’s cinema law. The authorities classified its content as falling within a legally restricted category.
Udta Teer follows Bilal Ahmad, a Pakistani spy played by Ayushmann Khurrana, who enters India on a mission. After an accident causes him to lose his memory, he mistakenly believes he is an Indian intelligence officer, setting up a story that blends espionage, patriotism and comedy.
Sara Ali Khan stars alongside Ayushmann in the film, directed by Aakash Kaushik in his feature-film directorial debut. The project combines political tensions with a comedic storyline, placing its characters in situations shaped by mistaken identity and conflicting loyalties.
Nepal’s decision comes under a legal provision that restricts films considered harmful to the country’s security, public order, relations with friendly nations or social harmony. The review board concluded that Udta Teer fell within the restricted category and denied permission for public exhibition.
The restriction affects the film’s planned release in Nepal, while its theatrical release in India remains scheduled for October 23, 2026. The decision has also drawn attention to how films involving sensitive international relationships can face different regulatory responses across markets.
