In a dramatic turn of events, the Kerala High Court has imposed a 15-day interim stay on the release of the highly anticipated film ‘The Kerala Story 2’. Scheduled to hit theaters on February 27, the movie produced under Vipul Amritlal Shah’s banner now faces an unexpected delay following the court’s directive issued on Thursday.
The decision came during hearings on petitions filed against the film, where petitioners argued that its content and portrayal could incite communal tensions and disrupt public peace. Taking these concerns seriously, the court opted for a temporary halt to allow further examination.
This ruling means no screenings of the film in any theater for the next 15 days, delivering a significant setback to the producers who had ramped up promotions. Advance bookings, already underway across multiple regions in India, are now in limbo, potentially leading to cancellations and refunds that could inflict substantial financial losses.
Controversy has shadowed ‘The Kerala Story 2’ since its teaser dropped on January 30. The narrative centers on three Hindu girls—portrayed by Ulka Gupta, Aishwarya Ojha, and Aditi Bhatia—whose lives unravel through romantic entanglements that reveal a sinister plot of forced religious conversion. The teaser features the girls in hijabs sharing their anguish, culminating in a defiant slogan: ‘We won’t tolerate anymore… we will fight.’
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been vocal in his opposition, branding the film as propaganda that threatens secularism. On social media platform X, he urged a boycott, referencing the original ‘The Kerala Story’ as laden with communal agendas and falsehoods. ‘Kerala, having seen through the lies of the first part, has once again rejected this attempt to tarnish secularism,’ he posted.
Vijayan further criticized the selective freedom given to divisive stories while critical artistic expressions are suppressed. He called for unity against efforts to portray Kerala as a hub of terror, asserting that truth will prevail.
As the film industry watches closely, this court order underscores the delicate balance between artistic freedom and social harmony in India’s diverse landscape. The coming weeks will reveal whether the stay is lifted or extended, but for now, ‘The Kerala Story 2’ remains off screens.