# Mohanlal film denied Sabarimala Sannidhanam shoot permission 2026-08-18T07:54:40+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Mohanlal-starrer 'Athimanoharam' faces a setback after the Kerala Forest Department refused permission to shoot at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam (temple premises), citing a High Court order. The temple area falls within the Periyar Tiger Reserve, requiring Forest Department clearance. The Travancore Devaswom Board had earlier approved the shoot subject to conditions, including script submission and a Rs 50,000 deposit. Times of India reports the production team has received permission to shoot up to Pampa, in areas under the Ranni Forest Division, and has completed nearly 80 per cent of filming. Onmanorama reports the Kerala High Court had permitted shooting at Nilakkal bus stand and Pampa, but disposed of the plea for Sannidhanam after the Deputy Director of the Periyar Tiger Reserve rejected the request citing the region's sensitivity. The film, directed by Tharun Moorthy, features Meera Jasmine and is planned for a Christmas release. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The two sources present a near-identical factual account, both neutral in tone. Times of India leads with the 'setback' and cites the Forest Department's refusal, while Onmanorama frames it around Mohanlal beginning the shoot at Sabarimala (though not at Sannidhanam) and details the court proceedings. Neither outlet editorialises or takes sides. The consistent neutral-report stances reflect straight coverage of a legal-administrative hurdle. The key takeaway is that the filmmakers must adapt their schedule around the restriction, and the Christmas release target may depend on how seamlessly the script can be adjusted without the Sannidhanam backdrop. Watch for whether the team revises the release date. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Leads with 'setback' but reports facts without slant, quoting Forest Department and Devaswom Board. - onmanorama.com (neutral report) Leads with Mohanlal beginning shoot, details court disposal and rejection, no editorialising. This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-18T18:56:25+00:00. Tags: Athimanoharam, forest department, Mohanlal, Sabarimala, Tharun Moorthy, Travancore Devaswom Board Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/forest-dept-denies-sabarimala-shoot-for-mohanlal-film-athimanoharam/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/forest-dept-denies-sabarimala-shoot-for-mohanlal-film-athimanoharam/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/