Movie Review: Thank You For Coming - 3.5/5

The Delhi High Court dismissed an urgent hearing plea on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the film *The Taj Story*, starring Paresh Rawal, which is set to be released on October 31, 2025[1][5]. The PIL, filed by advocate Shakeel Abbas, challenged the film for allegedly spreading a fringe theory that the Taj Mahal was originally a Hindu temple, a claim rejected by mainstream historians. The controversy began after the release of the film's poster depicting a statue of Lord Shiva emerging from the Taj Mahal's dome, which reignited the disputed narrative[1][2][4]. The petitioner argued that the movie contains fabricated and provocative content that contradicts established historical consensus, potentially misleading the public, undermining historical scholarship, and threatening communal harmony in India. The PIL sought a review or reconsideration of the film's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate, demanded cuts to contentious content, and asked for a disclaimer stating that the film deals with disputed narratives. It also expressed concerns about the film possibly inciting social unrest and damaging the Taj Mahal's reputation as a UNESCO World Heritage site[2][3][4][7]. During the court hearing, Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya questioned the timing of the plea given that the film's certification and trailer release preceded the petition by weeks. The court decided not to grant an urgent hearing since the film was releasing shortly and the certification process had already been completed[1][5]. The respondents in the PIL include the Union of India, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, CBFC, the film's production company, and key film personnel including actor Paresh Rawal[5][7]. In summary, while the PIL accused the film of historical distortion and potential communal provocation, the Delhi High Court declined to hear the plea urgently, allowing *The Taj Story* to proceed as planned for release.

Citations
1.https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/delhi-high-court-refuses-to-hear-pil-urgently-against-paresh-rawals-the-taj-story-2810058-2025-10-29
2.https://lawread.in/a-pil-against-the-paresh-rawal-film-was-filed-with-the-delhi-high-court
3.https://www.latestly.com/agency-news/india-news-pil-filed-in-delhi-hc-urging-restraint-on-film-the-taj-story-over-alleged-historical-distortion-7180613.html
4.https://www.barandbench.com/amp/story/news/pil-filed-before-delhi-high-court-against-paresh-rawal-movie-the-taj-story
5.https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/delhi-high-court/the-taj-story-film-cbfc-certification-no-urgent-hearing-308140
6.https://indian.community/news/pil-in-delhi-hc-seeks-safeguards-on-release-of-film-the-taj-story/
7.https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/delhi-high-court/taj-story-film-certification-challenged-cbfc-communal-propaganda-pil-308073
8.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/the-taj-story-trailer-paresh-rawal-questions-taj-mahal-origins-in-courtroom-battle-calls-for-dna-test/articleshow/124603180.cms
9.https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/why-paresh-rawals-taj-story-is-a-rare-film-to-have-irked-both-the-right-and-the-left-9535890


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