NALSAR Students Hold Unauthorised Screening of Umar Khalid Documentary
Students at NALSAR University of Law screened an uncertified documentary on activist Umar Khalid without official permission, citing solidarity with other campuses.
A group of students at NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad screened the documentary Prisoner No. 626710 is Present, which centres on activist Umar Khalid, on campus on Wednesday. Khalid was arrested in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots and faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The screening was not authorised, a university official said. The organising students confirmed they had not sought the administration's approval, saying they wanted to avoid a process they believed would end in refusal, as had happened at other institutions including the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru and IIIT Hyderabad.
Word of the event spread through a small poster shared on student WhatsApp groups a few days earlier, showing a person releasing a bird from a cage and inviting students to the turf at 8.30 p.m.
Students said sudden rain on Wednesday kept the gathering small. Between 30 and 40 students attended, some holding umbrellas and others watching from under a roof shelter.
In a brief statement circulated to the media, the students described the screening as a space for solidarity and conversation. They said the film raises questions about rights, accountability and the human cost of long incarceration, and that the event stood in support of those affected by failures of the justice system.
Jwala, a second-year student whose name has been changed, said the film offered an opportunity for dialogue and learning. She pointed to concerns about how delays in taking up cases affect justice and about the media trial surrounding the cases of Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, adding that six years in custody without trial amounted to a denial of justice.
Chinnasamy, a senior student among the organisers, defended the screening on legal grounds. The event was private and limited to students, so the Cinematograph Act did not apply, and Section 52(1)(J) of the Copyright Act covered its educational purpose, the student argued. The organiser also said the screening was held in solidarity with NLSIU and other campuses where similar events were cancelled, and that making it public was intended to encourage other universities.
The 60-minute documentary is directed by Lalit Vachani and has not been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification, the statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.