It was a period of immense tension for the makers of Batla House till 13th August when the Delhi high court finally allowed it to be released on 15th August. The film is based on the Batla House encounter which took place in Delhi on September 19, 2008. An accused in the case moved the high court on 9th August, seeking a stay on the film’s release as the film’s posters and trailers depicted the petitioners as terrorists and guilty of the crimes they have been accused of. The undertrial said, the film would adversely affect his trial which is on in a lower court. Another accused, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the case and who had challenged the conviction in the Delhi high court, was also a petitioner in the matter. He contended that the film showed a link between the serial bomb blasts of September 13, 2008 and the encounter and would, therefore, prejudicially affect the trial in both the cases.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru saw Batla House on 12th August. He asked the producers on 13th to rework a couple of scenes. The counsel for the producers brought to the court’s notice the original judgement in the Batla House encounter case and emphasised that the film was completely based on the said judgement which, in any case, was in the public domain. The counsel also argued that the filmmakers had taken pains to tell the story from three points of view: that of the Delhi cops, the students, and the court.
The judge asked the producers of Batla House to carry a three-minute disclaimer in Hindi and English, stating that the film was a work of fiction. This was over and above the reworking of a couple of scenes.
Justice Bakhru ordered the CBFC to not waste time on another screening after the changes were incorporated and treat his judgement to clear the film for screening.
There were moments of tension in the hearing on 13th August when it appeared that the judge would ask the producers to not release the film till the Batla House encounter case was conclusively decided in court.