Nepal Denies Release Permission to Ayushmann Khurrana–Sara Ali Khan’s Udta Teer Days Before October 23 Release

Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan’s spy-comedy Udta Teer has hit a roadblock just across the border. Nepal’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has denied the film permission for public screening, days before its scheduled October 23 theatrical release, in an official order that Bollywood Hungama reports it has seen.

The order was communicated to the makers by Bishal Bhandari, Section Officer at the ministry, and addressed to the film’s local distributor, National Cine Group Nepal Pvt. Ltd. It was issued on Ashwin 30, 2083 as per Nepal’s Bikram Sambat calendar — corresponding to October 16, 2026 in the Gregorian calendar. Permission was denied on the grounds that the film falls under subject matter prohibited by the country’s Film (Production, Exhibition and Distribution) Act, 2026 B.S. Nepal’s Central Film Censor Board had examined the film before the decision was taken.

Film writer and critic Samipyaraj Timilsina noted that the denial stems from the film’s India–Pakistan storyline. Nepal’s censorship framework allows authorities to restrict films deemed harmful to the country’s security, peace or its relations with friendly nations — and the board has previously maintained a strict policy against screening films that target neighbouring or friendly countries.

Udta Teer, written and directed by debutant Akash A Kaushik, is produced by Dharma Productions — Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla and Apoorva Mehta — along with Sikhya Entertainment’s Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain. Ayushmann plays Bilal, a Pakistani spy who infiltrates India but loses his memory in a blast and wakes up convinced he is a hardcore Indian patriot — a delusion that triggers chaos on both sides of the border. Sara Ali Khan plays an officer of India’s Counter-Terrorism Squad, with the late Mukul Dev, Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor and Gulshan Grover in the ensemble.

The film was originally slated to release on October 9 before being postponed to October 23. Neither the producers nor the director have officially responded on whether they plan to appeal the decision or edit the film to meet Nepal’s requirements. The law does permit films to be cleared if modified to comply with its provisions.

The episode fits a growing trend of regional screening roadblocks for Indian films. In recent times, Hindi titles including Dhurandhar, Border 2, Fighter, Sky Force, Article 370 and Tiger 3 have reportedly been denied releases in certain Middle Eastern markets — but Udta Teer now faces censorship trouble in a neighbouring South Asian market instead.

Source: Bollywood Hungama