The Supreme Court has granted permission for the animated film 'Mahaprabhu Jagannath' to be screened across all of India starting July 28, following the conclusion of the Rath Yatra celebrations of Lord Jagannath.
Judges B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan noted that the film is based on a web series that was previously published on YouTube and received certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The producers approached the apex court after the Orissa High Court suspended the release of the film, which was originally scheduled for Friday.
During the hearings, General Counsel Tushar Mehta, representing the Odisha government, informed the court that the Rath Yatra began on Thursday in Odisha and other parts of the country.
Previously, the Orissa High Court had indicated that objections regarding the depiction of Lord Jagannath required detailed judicial review before the film could be shown, as reported by PTI.
The temporary suspension was introduced during the consideration of a public interest litigation filed by Mahesh Kumar Sahu from Angula, along with Dr. Pramod Kumar Acharya from Puri and Umashankar Acharya from Nimapada.
The petitioner demanded the annulment of the film's CBFC certification and an order prohibiting its public screening in Odisha. It was alleged that the fictional portrayal of Lord Jagannath's childhood, dialogues, and battle scenes in the film contradict the Skanda Purana, Brahma Purana, and ancient temple traditions.
Before the Supreme Court session, the founder, director, and creative head of Ele Animations, Durga Prasad Dalai, defended the film, stating that it was created 'with the utmost honesty, sincerity, and devotion' to Lord Jagannath.
In a statement released on Thursday, Dalai clarified that 'Mahaprabhu Jagannath' is a continuation of the animated series 'Jai Jagannath' and was created to glorify faith, culture, and devotion. The statement read: 'Mahaprabhu Jagannath is a continuation of our animated series Jai Jagannath, created with the utmost honesty, sincerity, and devotion to Lord Jagannath and His followers. The film presents a sincere depiction of the devotee's bhava (devotion) to Mahaprabhu Jagannath, and we make no other claims.'
The statement concluded by adding: 'We deeply respect the feelings of every follower and everyone who follows the path of Lord Jagannath. We simply hope that viewers will get the opportunity to watch the film and decide for themselves.'
The West Bengal government withdrew its appeal to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, which had challenged the Calcutta High Court's ruling from May 2024. This decision invalidated the inclusion of 77 communities, including 75 Muslim communities, in the state's Other Backward Classes (OBC) list.
The Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal after the state informed the court that the West Bengal Cabinet had decided not to pursue the appeal. This occurred after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gained power in West Bengal following the Assembly elections in 2026.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana, permitted the withdrawal when General Counsel Tushar Mehta presented the Cabinet's decision to the court. Previously, the appeal had been filed by the former Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.
In May 2024, the Calcutta High Court declared the inclusion of 77 communities in the state's OBC list invalid, ruling that the reservation quota granted to them was legally unfounded. Of these 77 communities, 75 were Muslim communities. The court noted that religion appeared to be the sole criterion for granting OBC status and found legal deficiencies in the identification process.
The High Court revoked the OBC status granted to the 77 communities between April and September 2010. Furthermore, it annulled the inclusion of 37 additional classes under the West Bengal Other Backward Classes (Excluding Caste and Tribe) (Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) Act, 2012.
Following the state's withdrawal of the appeal, the challenge to the High Court's decision will only continue if other interested parties approach the Supreme Court. Earlier, on November 6, 2025, the apex court directed that no further hearings would take place in the Calcutta High Court on this matter while considering multiple petitions challenging the verdict.
Recently, the West Bengal government, led by the BJP, ceased categorization based on religious grounds within the previous OBC system and adopted two bills to restructure the state's reservation policy in line with the High Court's decision. Under the updated system, the state retained only 66 communities recognized based on surveys conducted before 2010, excluding the 77 communities whose inclusion was deemed invalid by the High Court.
Additionally, the percentage of OBC reservation in government services and posts was reduced from 17% to 7%. The legislative role of the Backward Classes Commission in conducting surveys, examining applications for inclusion or exclusion of communities, and providing recommendations to the state government has also been restored. The government legalized 66 OBC communities up to 2010, making them eligible for a revised reservation quota of 7% in government posts and services. This list includes communities such as Kapali, Kurmi, Karmakar, Sutradhar, Swarnakar, Napit, Tanti, Dhanuk, Kasai, Devanga, and Gaula, as well as three Muslim communities: Paharia, Hajam, and Choudguli.
Diljit Dosanjh's film 'Satluj' was removed from the Zee5 platform in India less than 48 hours after its premiere, causing significant social media buzz.
The film was originally titled 'Punjab '95', and its release was postponed for three years because the Central Board of Film Certification requested over 120 edits, which were ultimately not made for its screening on the OTT platform.
Currently, the film is unavailable in India, but it remains accessible to an international audience on the streaming platform Z5. Viewers in the UAE can subscribe to this platform for 22.99 dirhams per month, which grants access to all content on two devices.
The plot of the movie is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra from Punjab. He exposed alleged illegal killings and secret cremations in the late 1980s and early 1990s during the uprising in Punjab. Khalra himself disappeared in 1995, and his body was found near the Harike bridge on the Sutlej River.
After the film was removed from Zee5 in India, it began circulating as pirated copies online. In response, the streaming platform expressed concern and urged viewers not to support piracy. Zee5 posted a message on social media stating: 'We are doing everything possible to bring back Satluj. Please do the same—do not support piracy. We are hopeful and doing everything we can. Please do not support piracy. We remain committed to exploring all possible ways to bring Satluj back to you.'
In an official statement made after the removal on Sunday, ZEE5 acknowledged the audience response and confirmed the temporary unavailability of the film in India. The platform noted: 'The response to Satluj since its release has been truly overwhelming. We are deeply grateful to every viewer who decided to subscribe, watch, and support the film. Your love and support have meant a great deal to us and to everyone who brought this story to life.'
Announcing the removal on Sunday, the platform stated: 'In light of current events, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice. We continue to make efforts through proper procedure to bring the film back to our audience as soon as possible.'
Lead actor Diljit Dosanjh commented on the situation live on Instagram on Monday. The actor shared his thoughts on the sudden restriction of access to the film and the long journey that preceded its release, expressing both disappointment and acceptance of the situation. In his live session, Diljit Dosanjh openly discussed the sequence of events that led to the ban. He said: 'My love and respect to all of you. What I expected has happened exactly like this. I thought the film might be banned when the offices opened on Monday, but I didn't know it would happen so early, on Sunday evening.'
