Supreme Court rejects plea to halt 'Mahaprabhu Jagannath' release, upholds artistic freedom

India's Supreme Court strongly defended artistic creativity on Wednesday, refusing to halt the release of the animated film 'Mahaprabhu Jagannath'. The court cautioned against attempts to stifle art and culture simply because creative works depict Hindu Gods and Goddesses. A bench comprising justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan dismissed an application by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration seeking to modify a previous order that allowed the film's release after the Rath Yatra festival.

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We have already passed an order (on July 17) allowing the film’s release. If we pass an order, all televised series on Ramayana and Mahabharata will stop

"We have already passed an order (on July 17) allowing the film’s release. If we pass an order, all televised series on Ramayana and Mahabharata will stop," the bench stated, repeatedly emphasizing that courts should not curb artistic expression based on objections from a few individuals. The justices highlighted that such creative works do not impede devotion and reverence. They expressed concern that allowing such objections could lead to an extreme order prohibiting all art forms related to Hindu deities in India, which they deemed undesirable.

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This will no way come in the way of devotion and reverence to Lord Jagannath. If there are such kinds of sensitivities and two-three people go on filing writ petitions, we will pass an order that in respect of Hindu Gods, Goddesses and mythology, let there be no art form in India. We can pass so in the interest of preserving peace…We don’t want such kind of thing. This is creativity. Every person has creativity

The court further noted that Indian traditions themselves embrace multiple interpretations and retellings of epics and mythology. The bench remarked, "Just because two-three sensitive people in the country are filing these cases, we will pass an extreme order that there shall be no creativity, no literature. Every place has a story of Ramayana and Mahabharata in its own way." The justices also pointed out that animation is primarily created for children and lamented that artistic expression should not be held "to ransom."

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Just because two-three sensitive people in the country are filing these cases, we will pass an extreme order that there shall be no creativity, no literature. Every place has a story of Ramayana and Mahabharata in its own way.