Supreme Court lifts ban on Mahaprabhu Jagannath film release

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the nationwide release of the animated film "Mahaprabhu Jagannath," overturning a lower court's ban that had been imposed just days before its scheduled premiere. The decision, issued on July 17, 2026, allows the film to be released on or after July 28, following the conclusion of the Lord Jagannath Yatra festivities.

The ruling came after the film's producers, Ele Animations Pvt Ltd, challenged an interim order from the Orissa High Court. That court had restrained the company from releasing the film, which was originally scheduled for July 17, stating that objections to its portrayal of the deity required detailed judicial scrutiny before any public exhibition. The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan, noted that the film is based on a web series already available online and that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had granted it a U (Universal) certificate for screening in Hindi, Odia, and Telugu.

The legal dispute originated from a public interest litigation filed in the Orissa High Court by three individuals: Mahesh Kumar Sahu of Angul, Dr. Pramod Kumar Acharya of Puri, and Umashankar...