Bhubaneswar, July 17: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to allow the release of the animated film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’ on its scheduled release date and directed the producers to postpone its release until after the conclusion of the annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri on July 27.

A Bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan declined to stay the Odisha High Court's order restraining the film's release. Observing that the Rath Yatra had already begun and would continue until July 27, the Bench advised the filmmakers to wait until the religious festival concludes before releasing the movie.

"During the Rath Yatra, don't release it. After the Rath Yatra, you can release it," the Bench observed while hearing the producers' plea. The Supreme Court subsequently disposed of the petition, allowing the film's release after the festival.

The filmmakers had approached the apex court challenging the Odisha High Court's order, which held that certain depictions in the film did not conform to descriptions in the Skanda Purana.

Appearing for the producers, senior advocate Devadatt Kamath argued that the movie is an animated feature designed primarily for children and that the release ban had resulted in financial losses worth several crores.

The producers maintained that the film is an extension of their animated series 'Jay Jagannath', created with devotion and respect for Lord Jagannath. They also highlighted that the film had received a 'U' certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Hindi, Odia and Telugu and was originally scheduled for a pan-India release across more than 300 screens.

Powered by Froala Editor