'The Kerala Story 2’ Controversy Explained: High Court Sends Notices to Makers, CBFC
The upcoming film has drawn sharp rebuttals from political leaders and social media users, even as the CBFC has cleared it with a U/A certificate
After Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the trailer of The Kerala Story 2 — Goes Beyond, accusing it of spreading “false propaganda” and fuelling communal divisions, the Kerala High Court has issued notices to the producers, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), and the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting following a petition challenging the film’s censor certificate.
The petition, filed on February 18 by a Kannur resident, contends that the CBFC granted certification to the film without complying with statutory requirements under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. Petitioner Sreedev Namboodiri argued that the trailer and teaser — which depict narratives involving Hindu women and alleged conversion themes — unfairly brand such incidents as linked to Kerala, potentially stigmatising the state and its people.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Kerala CM Vijayan wrote on Thursday: “We must reject hate campaigns with contempt and firmly uphold facts and the values of secularism and brotherhood. Kerala is our pride. Truth must prevail over lies. We must stand together for that… They are spreading false propaganda by portraying even marriages conducted with mutual consent as examples of communalism and forced religious conversion.”
Shashi Tharoor, a Congress MP from Kerala, called the first Kerala Story a ‘hate-mongering film’ without factual grounding. “The first film, Kerala Story, was a hate-mongering film. It lacked any foundation. They were saying that thousands of people were converted, which is not true. I think there were around 30 such cases over a number of years. Ours is a very big country. If a case occurs here and there, it doesn't mean you should turn it into a big story and use it as propaganda," Tharoor was quoted as saying.
What is the controversy?
The trailer for The Kerala Story 2 was unveiled earlier this week and the film is scheduled for release on February 27. The film has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification with a U/A certificate. Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, the sequel follows three Hindu women — played by Ulka Gupta, Aishwarya Ojha and Aditi Bhatia — who fall in love with three Muslim men in what the film claims as a calculated agenda of religious conversion. The trailer has drawn criticism from political leaders and social media users, who have accused it of spreading misinformation and communal narratives. A scene depicting the women being forcefully fed beef has become a flashpoint in the controversy.
The first installment, The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen released in 2023, centred on allegations of forced religious conversion and radicalisation in Kerala, faced accusations of exaggeration, fear-mongering and stoking communal tensions. Despite factual inaccuracies and negative reviews, the film became a significant box-office hit and also won two National Film Awards.
Earlier, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who also backed the first film, thanked the CBFC for clearing the second installment for a wide release. "It reflects their faith in the intent and integrity with which we have told this story. This decision is especially important because it allows us to reach young girls and families across the country," Shah was quoted as saying.