Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the release of an animated film on Lord Jagannath despite the Supreme Court’s recent go‑ahead, Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on Wednesday demanded a ban on its screening, alleging distortion of sacred facts about the deity.“I strongly oppose the film’s release. Lord Jagannath should not be reduced to a cartoon or a subject of ridicule. A fictitious portrayal of Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu, contrary to our scriptures, is an unpardonable offence. The Supreme Court should not have permitted its release,” the Shankaracharya said, adding that the interference of courts in highly sensitive religious matters, related to age-old tradition and scriptures, may create resentment.The two‑hour film, which was scheduled for release in Odia, Hindi, and Telugu on July 10, had earlier drawn sharp criticism from Puri king Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), and servitors of Jagannath temple, who urged the Bhubaneswar‑based production house to align the content with scriptural references.Multiple PILs were filed in the Orissa high court, objecting to the film’s depiction of Lord Jagannath’s childhood, dialogues, and battle sequences, which petitioners said contradicted the Skanda Purana, Brahma Purana, and long‑standing temple traditions. The high court on July 15 ordered a stay on the film’s release.The producers challenged the order in the Supreme Court. During hearings, the Odisha govt argued that the Lord was objectionably depicted “as Spiderman or Doraemon” and could not be shown in cartoon form. On July 17, a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan allowed the film’s release on or after July 28, noting that the film was based on a web series already available on YouTube and had received Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) clearance. The state govt’s plea to modify the July 17 order was rejected by the Supreme Court on July 29.The producers now plan to release the film in theatres across the country on Friday, sources said. “The content has not attempted to distort Jagannath culture, nor will it hurt anyone’s sentiments,” a production house functionary said.
