Producers of movie on Yogi Adityanath move Bombay High Court over delay in Censor Board clearance

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to a petition filed by the makers of 'Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi', who have alleged a delay on the part of the CBFC in clearing the film for release [Samrat Cinematics India Pvt. Ltd v CBFC and Ors].

The movie, inspired by the book 'The Monk Who Became Chief Minister', which is purportedly based on UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s life, had been scheduled for theatrical release on August 1.

A Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale issued the notice in the matter after the CBFC official before the Court sought time to engage counsel. The matter will be heard on July 17.

The Court today also orally observed that the CBFC is required to issue certifications within the timelines prescribed by law and cannot 'shy away' from that obligation.

The petitioner, Samrat Cinematics India Pvt. Ltd., has challenged what it describes as an arbitrary and unexplained delay by the CBFC in processing certification applications for the film, its teaser, trailer, and promotional song, despite the film being scheduled for nationwide release on August 1, 2025.

The petitioner has further raised an objection to the CBFC’s alleged insistence on a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office, which, according to the petition, has no basis in the Cinematograph Act, 1952 or the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.

"It is pertinent to note that such an erroneous requirement / request is not only extremely prejudicial to the professional interests of the Petitioner but also detrimental to its financial interests. Further, an irrational, unreasonable and illegal demand / requirement being put forward by CBFC for obtaining a NOC from the CMO’s office is nothing but a ploy to delay the release of the motion picture 'Ajey', that too when the same is due for theatrical release on August 1st, 2025," the petition reads.

The petition states that the filmmakers first applied for certification of the main film on June 5, 2025. As per Rule 37 of the Certification Rules, the CBFC is required to scrutinize applications within 7 days and refer the film for screening within 15 days. Despite this, no action was taken for nearly a month.

On July 3, the petitioners reapplied under the ‘priority scheme’ and paid three times the standard fee as per Rule 33(2), following advice from CBFC officials. A screening was scheduled for July 7, but was abruptly cancelled the day before, without any further communication.

When the petitioners checked the status of their application on July 12, it was marked as “Incomplete” with a vague instruction to “Provide Documentary Evidence”, without specifying what documents were missing.

The petition alleges that such conduct by CBFC is causing significant commercial and reputational harm. According to the filmmakers, they have already incurred a pre-release expenditure of approximately ₹30 crore, with another ₹10 crore expected to be spent in the run-up to the release. Promotional campaigns had to be altered or cancelled, resulting in financial loss and a diminished marketing impact.

The petition also highlights that the film draws from 'The Monk Who Became Chief Minister' by Shantanu Gupta, a book published in 2017, which is available in twelve languages and has a wide readership.

It is submitted that the book has received official endorsement from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office, and forms the basis for a respectful, fact-based portrayal of a public figure’s leadership journey.

The petitioners have argued that CBFC’s actions violate their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(g), and 21 of the Constitution of India. They have urged the Court to direct the CBFC to certify the film and related materials within five days in accordance with the priority scheme, and also sought directions for the immediate scheduling of the film's screening.

Senior Advocate Ravi Kadam, with advocates Satatya Anand, Nikhil Aradhe, Aakash Sinha, Arjun Aggarwal, and Vrinda Bagaria, appeared for Samrat Cinematics India Pvt. Ltd