On Thursday, the Kerala High Court issued an interim stay on the release of ‘The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond,’ citing concerns over the censor board’s decision-making process regarding the film’s certification. The sequel features a fresh cast, including Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha.
The court’s ruling came from Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, addressing two petitions that contested the film’s release, directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh. Initially slated for release on February 27, the court found that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) may not have fully adhered to guidelines designed to prevent films from disrupting social harmony. Consequently, the film’s release is postponed for 15 days.
The sequel, a follow-up to the controversial 2019 film ‘The Kerala Story,’ which depicted the alleged recruitment of women from Kerala into ISIS, has sparked significant debate. The petitions filed against it claim that the film portrays Kerala in a divisive manner, potentially threatening public order. Petitioners argue that the title and promotional content unfairly stigmatize the state.
One of the petitions, submitted by Kannur native Sreedev Namboodiri, asserts that the film’s promotional materials contain themes and dialogues that might incite violence. Another petition from Freddie V Francis requests a ban on the film’s release and questions the inclusion of ‘Kerala’ in its title. A third petition by Advocate Atul Roy also challenges the CBFC’s certification and seeks a name change to eliminate ‘Kerala’ from the film’s title.
The original ‘Kerala Story’ faced backlash from the Kerala government, which accused it of misrepresenting facts and damaging the state’s reputation. During legal proceedings, the filmmakers had to revise their claims from 32,000 reported conversions to simply ‘thousands of women’ in response to scrutiny over their figures.