BOMBAY | 15TH JULY 2025 – The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sought a response from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to a petition filed by Samrat Cinematics India Pvt. Ltd., the makers of the upcoming film ‘Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi’, who have alleged delays by the CBFC in certifying the film for release.
The film, inspired by Shantanu Gupta’s book ‘The Monk Who Became Chief Minister’, is purportedly based on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s life and was scheduled for theatrical release on August 1, 2025.
COURT ISSUES NOTICE TO CBFC
A Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale issued a notice to the CBFC after its official sought time to engage counsel. The matter is set for further hearing on July 17.
The Court also orally observed that the CBFC is required to issue certifications within the timelines prescribed by law and cannot “shy away” from that obligation.
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CBFC
According to the petition filed by Samrat Cinematics India Pvt. Ltd., there has been an “arbitrary and unexplained delay” by the CBFC in processing the certification applications for the film, its teaser, trailer, and promotional song, despite the film’s scheduled release on August 1.
The filmmakers stated that they first applied for certification of the main film on June 5, 2025. Under Rule 37 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, the CBFC is required to scrutinize applications within 7 days and refer the film for screening within 15 days. However, no action was taken for nearly a month.
On July 3, the petitioners reapplied under the priority scheme, paying three times the standard fee as per Rule 33(2), following advice from CBFC officials. A screening scheduled for July 7 was abruptly cancelled on July 6, without any explanation.
When they checked the status on July 12, the application was marked as “Incomplete”, with a vague instruction to “Provide Documentary Evidence”, but no specific details were provided.
OBJECTION TO NOC REQUIREMENT
The filmmakers have strongly objected to the CBFC’s alleged insistence on a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office.
The petition argues:
“It is pertinent to note that such an erroneous requirement / request is not only extremely prejudicial to the professional interests of the Petitioner but also detrimental to its financial interests. Further, an irrational, unreasonable and illegal demand / requirement being put forward by CBFC for obtaining a NOC from the CMO’s office is nothing but a ploy to delay the release of the motion picture ‘Ajey’, that too when the same is due for theatrical release on August 1st, 2025.”
FINANCIAL AND REPUTATIONAL DAMAGE
The petitioners highlighted that they have already incurred pre-release expenses of approximately ₹30 crore, with an additional ₹10 crore expected before release. Several promotional campaigns had to be altered or cancelled, leading to significant financial loss and reduced marketing impact.
The film, which is based on ‘The Monk Who Became Chief Minister’, a book published in 2017 and available in twelve languages, has received official endorsement from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office. The petition claims that the film offers a respectful and factual portrayal of Yogi Adityanath’s leadership journey.
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS VIOLATED
The filmmakers argued that CBFC’s conduct violates their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(g), and 21 of the Constitution of India.
They urged the Court to direct the CBFC to certify the film and related materials within five days under the priority scheme and to immediately schedule the film’s screening.
LEGAL REPRESENTATION
Senior Advocate Ravi Kadam, along with advocates Satatya Anand, Nikhil Aradhe, Aakash Sinha, Arjun Aggarwal, and Vrinda Bagaria, appeared for Samrat Cinematics India Pvt. Ltd.
