Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s first animated feature film, Mahaprabhu Jagannath, is set to hit theatres nationwide on August 28 after navigating a series of legal hurdles that delayed its original July 17 premiere. The family entertainer, designed as a fictional narrative to foster devotion and cultural values among young audiences, will be released by Cinepolis across India in Hindi, Odia and Telugu.
Just days before the planned debut, the Orissa High Court imposed an interim stay on the film’s national release following a public interest litigation that sought judicial scrutiny of its content and portrayal of Lord Jagannath. The petitioners, along with objections from the Odisha government and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, argued that the animated depiction and certain elements departed from traditional Puranic accounts and could hurt religious sentiments or disturb public order during the ongoing Rath Yatra.
The production house, Ele Animations, promptly approached the Supreme Court, highlighting the film’s ‘U’ certification from the Central Board of Film Certification and the significant financial pressure arising from more than 300 theatres already booked.
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan initially permitted release only after the conclusion of the Puri Rath Yatra festivities on July 27, balancing artistic expression with concerns over public order during the religious period. On July 29, the same bench dismissed a fresh application seeking to modify that order and halt the film altogether. The court strongly defended creative freedom, observing that animation aimed at children cannot diminish genuine devotion and that Indian traditions have long accommodated diverse retellings of mythology and epics. The justices cautioned against allowing a handful of objections to stifle literature, art and culture, noting that restricting such works could set a precedent affecting countless depictions of Hindu deities and stories.
With the legal path cleared, distributor Cinepolis has opted for a strategic nationwide rollout on August 28.
Producer Durga Prasad Dalai, founder of Ele Animations, expressed gratitude for the apex court’s stance. “We created Mahaprabhu Jagannath with utmost devotion, love, and respect for our culture. We are immensely grateful to the Supreme Court for upholding artistic freedom while honouring faith. Our goal has always been to bring the grace and devotion of Lord Jagannath to children and families across the globe through the medium of cinema and animation. We cannot wait for audiences to experience this labor of love made with pure intentions and decide for themselves,” he said.
Directed by Shripad Warkhedkar, with story and screenplay by Pallavi Sharma, original songs by Arjit Shrivastava, background score by Aviral Kumar and lyrics by Atul Kumar Verma, the film builds on the success of Ele Animations’ popular animated series Jay Jagannath, which drew millions of views on television and digital platforms.
Headquartered in Bhubaneswar, the studio has positioned the feature as the launchpad for a broader “Sanatan Universe” of culturally rooted storytelling.