Latest news with #Ajey
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Bombay HC SLAMS CBFC For Not Giving Certificate To Ajey, Asks Reasons For Rejection
The film Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi is inspired by the book The Monk Who Became Chief Minister, supposedly based on Adityanath's life. The Bombay High Court criticised the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for failing to provide certification for the film based on Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath's life, titled Ajey. Recently, the court directed the CBFC not to insist on obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from Yogi Adityanath for the certification of the film Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi. The bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Dr. Neela Gokhale observed that the CBFC's approach appeared obstructive, noting that the board was unnecessarily complicating the certification process and creating avoidable hurdles. 'These are not reasons. This isn't as per the rules. Why don't you give them the grounds for rejection? By August 11, you tell them what the objectionable scenes and dialogues are," the bench said. The court instructed the committee to review the film thoroughly and issue specific recommendations to the makers by August 11, 2025. The filmmakers have also been asked to respond with their stance on the proposed modifications by August 12. Following this, the matter will be taken up for further hearing on August 14. The film Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi is inspired by the book The Monk Who Became Chief Minister, supposedly based on Adityanath's life. The film stars Anant Joshi in the lead. In June this year, the makers offered a fresh glimpse into the upcoming biographical drama and shared a striking poster on social media. 'Jag chhoda, Bhagwa Odha, Seva mein ramm gaya. Ek Yogi — jo akela hi poora aandolan ban gaya! Yogi Ji Ke Janmotsav par prastut hai us kahaani ka aarambh. #AjeyTheUntoldStoryOfAYogi – 1st August se cinema gharoṅ mein," they wrote. Later, Anant Joshi also opened up about going bald for the movie when he told IANS, 'Losing it wasn't just a cosmetic change — it was letting go of a part of myself." He shared that shaving his head was more than just a physical change, it was his way of truly stepping into the shoes of CM Yogi and embracing the character's spirit. 'But this role demanded that sacrifice. I knew I couldn't fake it. I had to live it. I had to become Yogi, not just act like him," he added. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Film inspired by Yogi Adityanath stuck in censorship row
The Bombay High Court on Thursday (August 7, 2025) pulled up the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for rejecting a certification application for the Hindi language film Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi without first screening it, and directed the CBFC's Revising Committee to specify its objections to the film by August 11. The petitioner, Samrat Cinematics Private Limited, has been asked to respond to the objections by August 12, with the next hearing posted for August 14. The film, described as a fictional narrative inspired by the book The Monk Who Became Chief Minister, was originally scheduled for release on August 1, but its theatrical debut was deferred after the CBFC rejected the certification request for the film, its trailer, teaser, and two promotional songs, via an email dated July 21. Advocate Aseem Naphade, appearing for the makers of the film, argued that on July 3, the petitioner visited the office of the CBFC to enquire about the status of his applications. 'There, officials from the CBFC orally informed the petitioner that an NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the CMO (Chief Minister's Office) of Uttar Pradesh is required for the film. A written communication reiterating this extraneous demand was received the same afternoon,' the petition stated, adding CBFC officials provided an oral assurance to the petitioner that the screening of the film had been scheduled for August 7. The filmmakers had submitted documents show the author of the The Monk Who Became Chief Minister had no objection to the film, an invoice for the purchase of the book from the CMO's office, and other relevant documents requesting certification of the film under the priority scheme by paying thrice the standard fee. On July 6, CBFC officials informed the filmmakers telephonically, without explanation, that the screening scheduled for July 7 had been cancelled. On the same day, the petitioner unsuccessfully attempted to meet the CBFC's head to secure a revised screening date. Multiple submissions were made subsequently to no avail. On July 14, a petition was filed in the High Court regarding the undue delay by the CBFC to which, on July 17, the court directed the CBFC to complete the entire process and decide on the application within two days. Advocate Naphade submitted that a series of emails were sent to the CBFC after the court's order. On July 21, the CBFC, at 9 p.m., sent an e-mail that said the applications for certification of Ajey, along with its trailer, teaser, and promotional song had been rejected without screening or examination of the film. On July 24, the CBFC raised an allegedly erroneous finding that the application submitted by Samrat Cinematics had been dismissed based on the description of the film and the documents furnished by the petitioner, 'wherein, Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath is seen on the cover page of the book which is allegedly signifying that the movie is based on Shri Yogi Adityanath'. Senior advocate, Abhay Khandeparkar, for the CBFC, informed the court that the film certification body had rejected the application after watching the film. After hearing the arguments, a Division Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale observed that the CBFC had failed to follow basic statutory procedure under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, particularly Section 4, which mandates that a film must be screened and that the producer must be provided an opportunity to respond before any refusal to certify. 'How can you reject without screening?' the Bench reportedly asked, terming the Board's conduct 'unacceptable' and 'mechanical'. 'Why can't the CBFC tell them what the scenes are? They can give a disclaimer. These are not reasons and not as per the rules. Why don't you give them the grounds for rejection?' the Bench asked. According to the petition, the CBFC's inaction and subsequent rejection without examination of the film has caused severe commercial losses to the producers, who had invested approximately ₹30 crore into the project and had entered into distribution agreements for theatrical release across 1,000 screens in India and 200 overseas. The delay also disrupted the marketing campaign, which included a tie-up with the Lucknow IPL franchise and other promotional partnerships.
News18
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Anant Joshi On Going Bald For Yogi Adityanath's Biopic Ajey: 'I Let Go A Part Of Myself'
Last Updated: Anant Joshi will play UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi. Directed by Ravindra Gautam, Joshi went bald for the role, inspired by Shantanu Gupta's book. The makers of Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi have locked in the release date for the much-anticipated biopic based on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Timed to coincide with his birthday in June this year, a new poster was also unveiled as part of the announcement. Set to arrive in theatres on August 1, the film stars Anant Joshi in the lead role. To closely resemble the CM, Joshi took the bold step of shaving his head, something he says wasn't easy for him emotionally, as he's always been quite attached to his hair. 'Losing it wasn't just a cosmetic change — it was letting go of a part of myself", he told IANS. Joshi shared that shaving his head was more than just a physical change, it was his way of truly stepping into the shoes of CM Yogi and embracing the character's spirit. 'But this role demanded that sacrifice. I knew I couldn't fake it. I had to live it. I had to become Yogi, not just act like him." Offering a fresh glimpse into the upcoming biographical drama, the production house shared the striking new poster on social media in June and wrote, 'Jag chhoda, Bhagwa Odha, Seva mein ramm gaya. Ek Yogi — jo akela hi poora aandolan ban gaya!" Yogi Ji Ke Janmotsav par prastut hai us kahaani ka aarambh. #AjeyTheUntoldStoryOfAYogi – 1st August se cinema gharoṅ mein." Take a look: Producer Ritu Mengi, in a statement, shared, 'Announcing the release date on this occasion is a heartfelt tribute to an extraordinary life of Yogiji—one that inspires millions. At its heart, Ajey portrays a transformation driven by sacrifice, duty, and dharma." Based on Shantanu Gupta's best-selling biography The Monk Who Became Chief Minister, Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi brings to screen the life of a man who chose the path of renunciation and public service over personal ambition, eventually rising to become one of India's most influential political figures. The film is expected to trace Yogi Adityanath's remarkable transformation — from his early days as Ajay Singh Bisht, a young boy from Uttarakhand, to becoming one of India's most powerful and influential political figures. Directed by Ravindra Gautam, known for Maharani 2, and produced by Ritu Mengi, this ambitious biographical drama boasts a strong ensemble cast including Dinesh Lal Yadav, Ajay Mengi, Pavan Malhotra, Rajesh Khattar, Garima Vikrant Singh, and Sarwar Ahuja. The film is set for a theatrical release on August 1, 2025 and will hit screens in five languages: Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. With music by Meet Bros and a script penned by Dilip Bachchan Jha and Priyank Dubey, Ajey promises to be a politically charged, emotionally resonant journey. The visuals are helmed by cinematographer Vishnu Rao, with Uday Prakash Singh handling production design. First Published: July 02, 2025, 09:12 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Who Is Anant Joshi? The Actor Portraying Yogi Adityanath On The Big Screen
Last Updated: Anant Joshi will star in Ajey, the biopic of Yogi Adityanath, tracing the spiritual leader's journey from Uttarakhand to political prominence. Anant Joshi, a rising name in Indian cinema, is all set to take on one of his most demanding roles yet. He will be seen as the lead in Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi, a biographical film based on the life of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Who Is Anant Joshi? Know All About Him At 35, Joshi has made his mark across web series, television and films. Born in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, he gained popularity with the web series Virgin Bhasskar (2019–2020) on ALT Balaji, where he played a shy, determined writer. Since then, he has acted in several notable projects, including Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein (2022), Maamla Legal Hai (2024), and the Netflix comedy Kathal (2023), where he portrayed Constable Saurabh Dwivedi. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Samrat Cinematics (@samratcineindia) In 2023, Anant impressed audiences and critics with his role as Pritam Pandey in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail. He played a struggling student, and his honest, emotional performance stood out. His acting was praised for being realistic and heartfelt. Talking about his journey from 12th Fail to Ajey, Anant Joshi shared how much he learned under Chopra's guidance. As quoted by Money Control, he said: 'Working with Vidhu Vinod Chopra is nothing less than training in a film school. He is a walking film institution. Being able to spend my everyday life on a film set with him, it was like every moment was a lesson." 'I think that learning prepared and improved me so much as a professional and as an artist that I was able to take the challenge to portray Ajey. And I think it all made sense to have done 12th Fail before being able to take on a lead role. A film like 12th Fail taught me to take this responsibility as an actor. And I am glad that Ajey came after 12th Fail," he added. He also featured in the documentary Zero Se Restart, which showed the behind-the-scenes journey of 12th Fail. In it, Joshi reflected on how working with Chopra helped him grow as an actor. He, along with the cast, attended acting workshops and worked through script changes to deliver a realistic performance. The movie Ajey will tell the story of Ajay Mohan Singh Bisht, known today as Yogi Adityanath. It will follow his early years in Uttarakhand, his spiritual journey, and how he became a major political figure in India. The film has already generated buzz with its teaser, and the trailer is expected soon. Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi will hit theatres worldwide on August 1. First Published: July 22, 2025, 15:36 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
