The Kerala High Court on August 17, 2026, disposed of a writ petition filed by director Tharun Moorthi and producer Ashiq U.E., the makers of the Mohanlal-starrer Malayalam film 'Athimanoharam', seeking a direction to the Forest Department officials to consider their request for permission to shoot the film in Pamba and Sannidhanam areas within the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
The Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar took note of the submission made by the Special Government Pleader for Forests that the Deputy Director of Periyar Tiger Reserve had rejected the filmmakers' request. The Bench observed that the rejection was based on the decision in Angels Nair v. The Principal Secretary and Ors., and further reinforced by the directions issued by a Division Bench in Writ Appeal No. 2179 of 2023 and the Government order dated August 26, 2025, which collectively prohibit the granting of permission for shooting commercial films and television serials within Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks, or Tiger Reserves.
The Court recorded that the Deputy Director had taken the stand that the areas mentioned in the representation—Pamba and Sannidhanam—form part and parcel of the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Although these areas have been leased or diverted in favour of the Travancore Devaswom Board for facilitating the Sabarimala pilgrimage, the legal status of such leased or diverted forest land remains unchanged, and thus falls under the prohibitive regime applicable to protected areas.
The petitioners had obtained permission from the Devaswom Commissioner of the Travancore Devaswom Board, but such permission was conditional upon obtaining prior clearance from the Chief Conservator of Forests, the Deputy Director of Periyar Tiger Reserve, and the Division Forest Officer, Pathanamthitta. The filmmakers then made representations before the Division Forest Officer and the Deputy Director.