New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the release of the animated film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’, and expressed concern over increasing petitions to ban art on the grounds of sensitivity.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan Supreme also remarked that the film does not, in any manner, undermine the devotion or reverence associated with Lord Jagannath.
It dismissed the applications seeking to stop the release of the animated film while refusing to alter its July 17 order that allowed the producer to release the movie after the conclusion of the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri on July 28.
The top court also rejected the contention that portraying Lord Jagannath in animated form was offensive, orally observing that if art is curtailed because it hurts the sensitivities of some people, then works based on the Ramayana and Mahabharata could never be created.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration and a devotee had filed the applications to modify the July 17 order seeking to stop the release of the film.
During the hearing today, the bench expressed concern over the growing tendency to seek judicial bans on art and creativity merely because they do not align with the sensitivities of certain individuals.
The apex court cautioned that if such petitions continue to be filed, the court may eventually have to pass stringent orders barring any depiction of Hindu gods and goddesses in any artistic form.
Pointing to the many versions of the Ramayana across India and the country’s rich artistic traditions, Justice Nagarathna said that such a course would effectively stop films, television serials, paintings, sculptures, and other creative works based on Hindu mythology.
“If there is such kind of sensibility and sensitivity, and two or three people to file a writ petition, we will pass an order that in respect of Hindu God, Goddess or Mythology, let there be no art form in India,” said the bench.
“We have Kabir’s Ramayana, we have Ramayana of every State. Every person has his own creativity. If we pass such an order, all Ramayana, Mahabharata on television will stop. No art in any form – television, creativity, painting, sculpture of Hindu God or Goddess – if you want, we will pass such an order,” Justice Nagarathna told Pritambar Acharya, Advocate General of Odisha, appearing for the temple administration.
Acharya said that Lord Jagannath has been depicted as “Doremon” and “Spiderman” in the film.
The bench rejected Acharya’s objection regarding Lord Jagannath’s depiction in animated form, saying that the film was meant for children.
“We heard the Advocate General; we are not inclined to modify the order. The application is dismissed,” the bench ordered.
After dictating the order, the bench told the film’s producer that he was free to make any modifications he deemed appropriate, guided by his own conscience, while making it clear that the court would not sit in judgment over such creative decisions.
On July 17, the apex court had refused the immediate release of an animated film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’ during the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra and permitted the makers of the film to release it on or after July 28, when the Yatra concludes.
In an interim order, it had refused the release of the film, noting that the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra commenced on July 16 and will continue till July 27.
The order of the top court had come on an appeal filed by the producer of the film, Ele Animations Pvt. Ltd, challenging the order passed by the High Court on July 15 banning the countrywide release of the film.
The High Court had banned the release of the film across the country for not strictly adhering to the religious text of Skanda Purana.
The petition filed before the High Court had sought the cancellation of the film’s certification and a ban on its public screening in the State while objecting to the portrayal of Lord Jagannath in the film and had sought a detailed judicial scrutiny. (ANI)
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