Nepal blocks Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan’s Udta Teer, denies permission for public screening

The decision follows a review by Nepal’s Central Film Censor Board, which found the film in violation of a provision of the country’s cinema law.

Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan’s upcoming Hindi film Udta Teer will not be screened publicly in Nepal for now, after the country’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology refused to grant it permission for exhibition. The decision follows a review by Nepal’s Central Film Censor Board, which found the film in violation of a provision of the country’s cinema law. The authorities have not yet revealed what exactly prompted the move.

Why has Nepal blocked Udta Teer?

Bollywood actors Sara Ali Khan and Ayushmann Khurrana attend the trailer launch of their upcoming Hindi-language film 'Udta Teer' in Mumbai on September 23, 2026. (Photo by SUJIT JAISWAL / AFP) (AFP)

According to India Today, a letter was issued by the ministry’s Audio-Visual and Broadcasting Division in which the Central Film Censor Board examined the film on Ashwin 19, 2083, as per the Nepali calendar. Following the review, the board concluded that the film’s production violated Section 8(3) of the National Cinema (Production, Exhibition and Distribution) Act, 2026. Based on the board’s findings, the ministry decided against granting permission for the film’s public screening in the country.

The communication formally informs the company that the film will not be allowed a public release in Nepal. It refers to Section 8(3) of the Act as the basis for the decision, reiterating the censor board’s finding that the film’s production did not comply with the provision.

What is Udta Teer about?

Udta Teer revolves around a Pakistani spy named Bilal Ahmad (Ayushmann), who enters India and suffers from memory loss after an accident, mistakenly believing he is an Indian spy. Responding to a question at the trailer launch about the role, he said, “It was part of the script. As an actor, you are ready to do anything. This is a spy comedy, a patriotic comedy, and a genre bender. I do what the script demands; I'm a director's baby. It is a fantastic script.”

Calling the role as ‘the most difficult character’ because of how he had to stay straight-faced amid all the chaos and comedy happening around him. The actor said, “It is the most difficult character because things were happening around him. I had to have that straight face, though there were moments when I felt like laughing, but I couldn't. I had to be normal while there was chaos happening around me.”

Akash A Kaushik makes his directorial debut with Udta Teer, which features Ayushmann, Sara, Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor, Suhail Nayyar, Gulshan Grover, Mukul Dev, Raghubir Yadav, Brijendra Kala, Sandeep Anand, Supriya Pilgaonkar and Smita Tambe in key roles. The film arrives in cinemas on October 23, 2026.