The trailer of the upcoming Hindi film, The Kerala Story 2, has sparked divisive reactions hours after it was launched. The film, said to be based on true events, shows the plight of girls trapped in forced conversion cases. However, several viewers and political leaders have criticised the film, calling it ‘propaganda’. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has issued a statement, condemning the film.
Kerala CM slams The Kerala Story 2
On Wednesday, CM Vijayan expressed concern over the upcoming release of the film, saying that its first instalment was made with the “intent to spread hatred against the state and undermine its secular tradition.”
In a statement issued by his office, Vijayan questioned how “poisonous works produced to spread division and hatred in society” were allowed to be screened, while a film like Beef was barred from a film festival.
‘They are spreading false propaganda’
“They are spreading false propaganda by portraying even marriages conducted with mutual consent as examples of communalism and forced religious conversion,” the CM said. He added that ‘such forces’ are hostile towards Kerala, a state with no communal riots and a tradition of mutual respect among communities. Terming them “enemies of the state,” he said that they were attempting to destroy the peace and tranquillity of the region through such films.
“We must collectively reject attempts to portray Kerala, a land of religious harmony that stands at the forefront of sustainable development and is a model in maintaining law and order, as a center of terrorism. It is the responsibility of each of us to ensure that Kerala’s secular foundation is not undermined by false propaganda and to reject it by upholding the values of secularism and brotherhood,” Vijayan added.
The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. In a statement to HT, the producer had said that the film is based on true cases from the Indian legal system. “When we make a film like The Kerala Story: Goes Beyond, we wanted it to become more representative of our all-India situation. And hence, the three stories that we selected, we could not just tell their stories. We have taken many incidents from other girls’ lives and made them part of their stories. As a result, it’s a story of three girls, but it also has a reflection of a lot of other stories in it,” Shah had said. The film is slated to release in cinemas on 27 February.
About The Kerala Story
The first film, The Kerala Story, was directed by Sudipto Sen, and starred Adah Sharma, Sonia Balani, Yogita Bihani and Siddhi Idnani. Despite facing bans and controversy over its content, the film went on to be a box office success, grossing over ₹300 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹20 crore. The film also won two National Film Awards —for Best Director (Sudipto Sen) and Best Cinematography (Prasantanu Mohapatra).