New Delhi: The Odisha government has moved the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the release of the animated film Mahaprabhu Jagannath, arguing that it could trigger law and order issues in the state, even though the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has granted it clearance.
During a mentioning before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana on Tuesday, Odisha Advocate General Pitambar Acharya highlighted the potential for unrest and requested an urgent hearing. He informed the court that the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration has also filed an application and urged the Centre to revoke the CBFC certificate.
“They have presented the Lord in a cartoon form,” LiveLaw reported, quoting Odisha AG, adding that the state has sought modification of Supreme Court order permitting the film’s release after Rath Yatra.
The matter has been listed for hearing on Wednesday.
This latest development comes roughly two weeks after a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan permitted the film’s all-India release on or after July 28, explicitly after the conclusion of Rath Yatra festivities. The earlier bench had observed that animation and fiction could not erode devotion, noting that the CBFC had examined the film against statutory parameters.
The controversy erupted after the Orissa High Court stayed the release following a public interest litigation. The High Court cited risks of hurting religious sentiments and disturbing public order, pointing to depictions allegedly inconsistent with texts like Skanda Purana and Brahma Purana, as well as temple traditions. Petitioners had raised concerns over fictionalised episodes, childhood portrayals, dialogues, adventures, and battle sequences.
The Gajapati Maharaja of Puri and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration had suggested changes after a special screening, which the producers allegedly did not fully incorporate.
The filmmakers, Ele Animations Pvt Ltd, have maintained that the project is a fictional animated work aimed at children and audiences, complete with a disclaimer. They argue it is protected under the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression. The film, based on an earlier web series, had been scheduled for theatrical release earlier in July but faced repeated legal hurdles.