India’s Ele Animations The company has adapted Pogo Channel’s animated series ‘Jai Jagannath’ into a theatrical feature film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’ which will be released pan-India theatrically in over 300 screens in Hindi, Odia and Telugu through a distribution agreement with Cinepolis.
Lord Jagannath is a form of the Hindu god Vishnu, worshiped throughout Orissa and widely worshiped throughout India, the presiding deity of the 12th century Puri temple, and the subject of the annual Rath Yatra chariot festival, one of the country’s largest religious gatherings.
The Bhubaneswar-based studio is framing the film as the opening chapter of its newly announced Sanatan Universe, an interconnected content franchise built around stories of Indian devotion and mythology. Plans for this ecosystem extend beyond cinema to include television, music, education and immersive experience venues in Puri, with a dedicated devotional music label and live stream channel from Puri Jagannath temple also in development.
“Our journey started with a vision to bring the sacred story of Mahaprabhu Jagannath into every home through animation. Seeing the overwhelming love our series has received, bringing it to the big screen was a natural next step. This film is more than just entertainment; it aims to convey our rich heritage and values to the next generation in a fun, engaging and visually stunning way,” said Ele. said Durga Prasad Dalai, founder, director and creative head of.
Ele Animations has more cinematic projects in the works for the next Rath Yatra cycle. Future plans for Hindu gods and goddesses include Mere Bhole, a children’s animated series centered around Lord Shiva, with additional projects centered around Lord Hanuman, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Kali and Goddess Durga. The studio will also develop content drawn from the Vedas and Upanishads for younger audiences.
“But ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’ is just the first chapter. It lays the foundation for our grander vision, the Sanatan Universe. We are building an interconnected cultural ecosystem that goes far beyond cinema and extends to television, music, education and Puri’s immersive experiences. By tapping into the memory of our civilization, we We want to position India’s spiritual stories as a premium global proposition and education about our God and culture through the medium of entertainment. We are really excited about this as we embark on this amazing journey and bring magical experiences rooted in our culture to families across India,” Dalai added.
