Will devotion for Lord Jagannath diminish? Supreme Court as Odisha challenges release of animated film Mahaprabhu Jagannath

The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned whether an animated portrayal of Lord Jagannath in the film Mahaprabhu Jagannath would diminish devotees' faith.

A Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan made the observation while hearing applications filed by the Odisha government seeking modification of its earlier order permitting the release of the animated film after the Jagannath Rath Yatra.

Appearing for the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Advocate General (AG) Pitambar Acharya argued that the film depicted Lord Jagannath in cartoon form.

The Bench appeared unconvinced by the submission.

Justice Nagarathna observed,

"Whether devotion for Lord Jagannath will diminish if this picture is released for children? It will not. You are expanding the scope of the petition. Exhibition of the movie is a different thing. Animation will appeal more."

On July 17, the Supreme Court had permitted the nationwide release of Mahaprabhu Jagannath on or after July 28, after the conclusion of the annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra festivities.

The Court had also recorded that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had cleared the film for public exhibition after considering the relevant statutory parameters.

During the hearing today, Acharya informed the Court that the matter had been mentioned before the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday and was directed to be listed before the Bench.

He submitted that two miscellaneous applications have been filed before the Supreme Court and added that the main writ petition concerning the film remains pending before the Orissa High Court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the State of Odisha, submitted that Temple Administration had approached the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with its objections to the film and urged the Court not to permit its release until those objections were considered.

"They have moved the CBFC. These are our objections. Till our objections are addressed, please do not permit. Now the CBFC cannot take a decision because this Court had directed that it has to be released. Miscellaneous applications have been filed. Allow them to take an independent decision," Mehta submitted.

Justice Nagarathna reminded the parties that the Court had already balanced concerns relating to law and order and religious sensitivities while passing its earlier order.

"We balanced both the things because we are also conscious of law and order and sensitivities. After the festival, we had said release the film," she observed.

Acharya responded that the issue was not the festival but the depiction of Lord Jagannath in cartoon form. He submitted that the law provides a power of revision.

Senior Advocate Devdatt Kamat, appearing for the producers of the film, opposed the applications. He argued that the State was seeking to reargue issues that had already been decided.

At Mehta's request, the Bench agreed to take up the applications on Wednesday (July 29).

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