The Bombay High Court is set to play a crucial role in resolving the censorship issues surrounding the film "Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi," a Hindi-language film inspired by the life of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The film's producers, Samrat Cinematics India Pvt. Ltd, have approached the court after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) refused to grant certification.

The heart of the dispute lies in the CBFC's demand for a no-objection certificate (NOC) from Yogi Adityanath himself, a requirement the filmmakers are contesting. They argue that the film is inspired by the book "The Monk Who Became Chief Minister," which is already in the public domain, and therefore, an NOC cannot be mandated. Advocate Ravi Kadam, representing the petitioners, asserted that the CBFC cannot act as "guardians of a private person's fundamental rights" when the subject matter is derived from publicly available material.

The CBFC's initial refusal to certify the film came after seeking 29 cuts, which was later reduced to 21 by its revision committee; however, the filmmakers found these changes unacceptable. This led them to seek legal recourse from the Bombay High Court. The film, which was originally slated for release on August 1, remains in limbo without certification.

The Bombay High Court has decided to view the film before making a decision. The bench will hear the plea again on August 25, 2025. Earlier, the High Court had pulled up the CBFC for rejecting the certification application without even screening the film, emphasizing that the CBFC must follow the procedure established in the Cinematograph Act, 1952, specifically Section 4. The court noted that the CBFC's conduct was "unacceptable" and "mechanical" and questioned why the filmmakers weren't given a chance to respond to the board's objections.

The filmmakers argue that the CBFC's actions have caused significant commercial losses, with approximately ₹30 crore invested in the project and distribution agreements in place for theatrical release across 1,000 screens in India and 200 overseas. The delay has also impacted marketing campaigns and promotional partnerships, including a tie-up with the Lucknow IPL franchise.

Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale questioned the logic behind the CBFC's decision, especially considering the source material has been publicly available for years. They raised concerns about why a film based on a publicly available book would be considered a threat to public order. The court has issued a notice to the CBFC, seeking a response to these concerns.

"Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi" features Anant V Joshi as CM Yogi, along with Paresh Rawal, Dinesh Lal Yadav, and others. Directed by Ravindra Gautam and produced by Ritu Mengi, the film's fate now rests on the Bombay High Court's evaluation and subsequent decision. The court's intervention highlights the ongoing debate about censorship, freedom of expression, and the extent to which films based on public figures should be subjected to greater scrutiny.