NEW DELHI: In a setback for the Odisha government, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the release of the animated movie Mahaprabhu Jagannath, reiterating that courts should not stand in the way of art and creative freedom.
Hearing a petition filed by the state government seeking a ban on the film, a bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan chose to uphold its previous order allowing the movie’s release.
During the proceedings, Justice Nagarathna orally remarked, “If there is so much sensitivity, and 2-3 people file a writ petition, we will pass an order that no artwork on Hindu gods or mythology should be made in India… Everyone has their own creativity. If we issue such an order, all work on Ramayana and Mahabharata will stop. There will be no art of any kind-television, creativity, painting, or idols of Hindu gods and goddesses. If you want, we will issue such an order.”
Justice Mahadevan also highlighted during the hearing that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had already cleared the movie with a certificate.
Court Upholds July 17 Order
Earlier, on July 17, the apex court had temporarily halted the film’s release, directing the makers to postpone it until after the Rath Yatra festival concluded. With the Rath Yatra running from July 16 to July 27, the court had cleared the movie for release on or after July 28. The bench refused to modify this directive on Wednesday despite the Odisha government’s fresh plea.
The matter had reached the Supreme Court after the High Court originally stayed the film’s release. Producers ‘Elle Animation Private Limited’ subsequently approached the apex court, which granted them relief. The Odisha government later moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay, where it failed to secure a favorable order.
