The Kerala Forest Department on Monday (August 17) denied permission to shoot Mohanlal-starrer Athimanoharam at the Sabarimala Temple premises.

According to reports, the forest department denied permission citing the latest order from the Kerala High Court.

HC junks director’s plea

Since the area including the Sabarimala Temple falls under the Periyar Tiger Reserve, the forest department’s approval is mandatory for filming. However, shooting is permitted up to Pamba, under the Ranni Forest Department Division.

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The Kerala High Court also disposed of the petition filed by Athimanoharam director Tarun Moorthy seeking permission for the shoot. Moorthy had approached the High Court after the forest department denied permission, but the court declined to interfere with the Ranni DFO’s order. Filming permission is restricted strictly to Nilakkal and Pamba.

Devaswom Board’s permission

Earlier, the Devaswom Board had permitted the shoot, subject to the condition that the entire script be submitted. Other stipulations included ensuring the film contained nothing that harms the Sabarimala Temple or its religious tenets, depositing Rs 50,000, and obtaining clearance from the forest department.

Athimanoharam stars Mohanlal, Meera Jasmine and others. In the first look poster released by the makers, Mohanlal is seen in a police uniform standing among Ayyappa devotees.

The movie is a police procedural drama and Mohanlal plays a character named TS Lovelajan, a police sub-inspector. After Thudarum, Mohanlal and Moorthy are collaborating for this film. This is the first time that Mohanlal is acting in a movie under the banner of Aashiq Usman Productions.

As per the director’s recent update on social media, nearly 80 per cent of the film’s shooting is completed. The movie will release on Christmas Eve, December 24.

Lord Ayyappa Temple opens

Meanwhile, hundreds of devotees turned up at the famed Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala since the wee hours of Monday as the shrine opened its doors, marking the beginning of the Chingam month and the Malayalam New Year.

Pujas were conducted at the temple on Sunday evening, the last day of the Malayalam month of Karkidakam, by melsanthi (head priest) Prasad E D in the presence of temple tantri (chief priest) Kandararu Brahmadathan.

Subsequently, the sacred fire was lit in the “aazhi” (holy fire pit) below the Pathinettam Padi (18 steps).

Devotees had turned up at the shrine in large numbers since Sunday evening, the eve of the Malayalam New Year. After the temple doors were closed after the evening pujas, they reopened at 5 am on Monday for darshan.