Bhubaneswar, July 17: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to allow the release of the animated film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’ on its scheduled release date and directed the producers to postpone its theatrical release until after the conclusion of the annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri on July 27.
A Bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan refused to stay the Odisha High Court’s order restraining the release of the film. Observing that the Rath Yatra had already commenced and would continue until July 27, the apex court advised the filmmakers to wait until the festival concluded before releasing the movie.
“During the Rath Yatra, don’t release it. After the Rath Yatra, you can release it,” the Bench observed while hearing the producers’ plea. The court subsequently disposed of the petition, permitting the filmmakers to release the movie after July 27.
The producers had challenged the Odisha High Court’s order, which had restrained the film’s release on the grounds that certain depictions in the animated feature were not in conformity with the Skanda Purana, a revered Hindu scripture associated with Lord Jagannath.
Appearing for the producers, senior advocate Devadatt Kamath argued that the film was an animated feature created primarily for children and that the delay in its release had caused financial losses worth several crores of rupees.
The makers maintained that ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’ is an extension of their popular animated series ‘Jay Jagannath’, developed with sincerity and devotion towards Lord Jagannath and his devotees. They also pointed out that the film had received a ‘U’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Hindi, Odia and Telugu.
Produced by Durga Prasad Dalai under the banner of Ele Animations Pvt. Ltd., the film was originally scheduled for a pan-India release in three languages across more than 300 cinema screens.
About the Author
