The makers of the animation film 'Mahaprabhu Jagannath' have moved the Supreme Court challenging the Odisha High Court order banning the nationwide release of the film. The court has agreed to hear the petition of the producers. This film has come at the center of controversies regarding the portrayal of Lord Jagannath.
Actually, Odisha High Court had banned the nationwide release of the film. This film was going to be released tomorrow, hence the producers of the film demanded an immediate hearing from the court in the matter. Senior lawyer Devdutt Kamat had mentioned this matter before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and requested for hearing today itself. However, CJI Surya Kant refused to list the matter today, but assured that the matter will be heard tomorrow i.e. Friday (July 17).
Advocate Devdutt Kamat told the Supreme Court that this film is an animation film made for children based on Lord Jagannath. Which was banned by the Odisha High Court. He told that the High Court says that this film has not been made according to 'Skanda Purana'.
He told that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has approved the film by giving it a certificate under Section 5 of the Cinematograph Act. He told that the High Court order was uploaded at 9 pm last night. He said that this ban will cause huge loss and difficulty to the manufacturer who has invested crores of rupees. He told that more than 300 theaters across the country have been booked for the screening of the film.
Advocate Kamat further said that a PIL was filed in the High Court just before the release of the film and the High Court hastily passed an order banning the film across India, due to which the producer will suffer huge financial and commercial losses. He demanded hearing of the case today itself.
However, CJI Surya Kant did not accept the demand for immediate listing. He said that same day listing is given only in extremely urgent cases like death penalty. However, he assured that the 'Mahaprabhu Jagannath' case will be kept for hearing tomorrow.
The development comes a day after the Shri Jagannath Temple Management Committee (SJMC) urged the filmmakers to postpone the release of the film, alleging that the film presented a fictional version of the deity's life that is not in line with Hindu scriptures. This appeal was made by Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb, President of SJMC, the highest decision making body of Jagannath Temple.
Referring to the trailer already circulating on social media, Deb said that it depicts a completely fictional story of Sri Jagannath Mahaprabhu and claimed that the story is not in line with the holy scriptures related to Lord Jagannath.
He said that this story is contrary to the sacred stories described in our scriptures.
