The Supreme Court on Friday refused to permit the release of the animated film Mahaprabhu Jagannath on its scheduled release date, directing the producers to postpone its release until after the annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra concludes on July 27.

A Bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan was hearing a plea filed by Ele Animations Pvt. Ltd., challenging the Orissa High Court's July 15 order temporarily restraining the nationwide release of the film.

Declining to stay the High Court's order, the Bench observed that the Rath Yatra had already commenced and would continue till July 27.

"After the Rath Yatra, you can release it," Justice Nagarathna remarked.

Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for the producer, urged the Court to allow the film's release on its originally scheduled date, pointing out that substantial investments had been made and theatres had already been booked. He also submitted that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had cleared the film, which is intended for children and is based on a television series that has been running for a long time.

Kamat argued that animated films based on Hindu deities, such as Bal Ganesh, have been released earlier and that Mahaprabhu Jagannath was no different.

The Bench, however, declined the request, observing, "During the Rath Yatra, don't do it (release)." It ultimately permitted the producer to release the film after July 27 and disposed of the petition.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared on behalf of the State of Odisha.

The matter was taken up on an urgent basis after Kamat mentioned it before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant a day earlier. Although Kamat sought an immediate hearing due to the scheduled release, the Chief Justice declined, observing that same-day listing is generally reserved for matters of extreme urgency, such as death penalty cases.

Background

On July 15, the Orissa High Court temporarily halted the release of the film while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Mahesh Kumar Sahu.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Murahari Sri Raman expressed concern that releasing the film during the Rath Yatra could affect public order and hurt religious sentiments. The Court observed that while films enjoy constitutional protection under the right to free speech, such freedom cannot extend to content that may disrupt public peace or deeply offend religious beliefs.

The controversy began after Ele Animations Pvt. Ltd. released a teaser of Mahaprabhu Jagannath on YouTube on June 6, 2026, announcing its release. The teaser drew objections from the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), which claimed that the film depicted stories inconsistent with established Jagannath traditions.

Following the objections, the producers screened the film for the Puri Gajapati Maharaja and SJTA members, who suggested several changes. Although the producers reportedly assured that the required modifications would be made, the PIL alleged that the film was scheduled for release without incorporating those changes and sought cancellation of the CBFC certification.

Case: Ele Animations Pvt. Ltd. v. Mahesh Kumar Sahu, SLP (C) No. 23905/2026 (Diary No. 41972/2026)