Supreme Court allows release of animated film Mahaprabhu Jagannath after Rath Yatra, says animation cannot erode devotion

The Supreme Court on Friday, July 17, 2026, allowed the exhibition of the animated film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’, which was banned for not strictly adhering to the rules. Skanda Purana And Brahma PuranaHe ensures that animated fiction cannot diminish religiosity.

“Devotion is something inherent in everyone. Can an animated film diminish devotion? How can fiction be in line with Skanda Purana and Brahma Purana? Only imagination is at work,” said Justice BV Nagarathna, chairman of the Division Bench, addressing the Odisha government and the trustees of the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri who objected to the film.

The Bench chose the middle path by allowing the film to release, but only after the completion of the ongoing Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra on July 27, 2026. The court ruled that the film could be released on or after July 28.

Also Read | Thousands of people participate in Jagannath Rath Yatra in Hyderabad

The high court was hearing an appeal filed by the film’s producers, Ele Animations, against the Orissa High Court’s ban on screening the film. The film was scheduled to be released in more than 300 theaters nationwide on July 17. Significantly, the Supreme Court had stayed the release of the film even after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had certified it.

Devadatt Kamat, senior advocate for the filmmakers, said the aim of the film was to instill devotion in children and the fictional form was adapted to make the divine origin and stories of the god “tasty” for young minds. He said that the film is about a boy named Balram. Mr. Kamat had animation works on ‘Bal Ganesh’ and ‘Bal Hanuman’.

Mr. Kamat said the film is a film adaptation of a TV serial that has successfully reached 100 crore views on YouTube over two years. He said the ban, in addition to causing economic losses and mass cancellation of movie theaters and bookings, dealt a serious blow to basic freedom of speech and expression.

Speaking on behalf of the State of Odisha, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the trustees and Gajapati of Lord Jagannath Temple found some parts of the film objectionable.

“There are certain problems… The way the Lord is shown fighting… I am not taking examples but I am considering whether Lord Krishna is shown as being born in a resort instead of a prison… You can have literary freedom but you cannot have radical change,” Mr. Mehta reasoned.

Mr. Kamat argued how objections by parties or State intervention or even the Supreme Court could intervene in the release of a CBFC certified film on the grounds of public order and morality. He said the objections raised by the respondents were considered by the CBFC before approving the film.

“Publish it by the end of the month.. Release it after Rath Yatra,” Justice Nagarathna told Mr. Kamat.

The senior lawyer asked, “Can the Supreme Court postpone the release of the film?” He accepted the question without questioning.