Mumbai: Filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Sunshine Pictures Limited have officially announced the release date of Beyond The Kerala Story, the much awaited sequel to the 2023 film The Kerala Story. The film is set to hit cinemas on February 27, 2026, marking the second chapter in the franchise that sparked nationwide discussion.
It announced it with a motion poster that not only confirmed the title and the date of release but also gave us an idea of the intense mood of the film. The poster does not make any attempts to address the points, leaving the stories to be answered later, with some strong lines that give hints of more in the story, the poster makes it clear that this is a chapter that wants to go deeper and explore more on the true life accounts.
A Broader and More Intense Narrative
According to the makers, Beyond The Kerala Story will once again draw from real incidents, focusing on voices that have often remained unheard. The second film, in contrast to the first film, which mainly focused on what occurred in Kerala allows the idea of events to expand to cover true stories across the Bharat. It is aimed at being more grounded and documentary in its style of storytelling but is to be more broad and layered in its approach.
The film introduces fresh female talent in lead roles. Their performances are described as organic and rooted in lived experiences, reflecting stories from across regions and communities. The filmmakers have placed Beyond The Kerala Story as a follow-up that extends the concepts of the initial part and not a sequel.
New Director and Controlled Shoot
Although the first part, The Kerala Story, is under the direction of Sudipto Sen, the second film, Beyond The Kerala Story is produced by National Award winning filmmaker Kamakhya Narayan Singh. The project is produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures Limited and co produced by Aashin A Shah.
Reports suggest that Beyond The Kerala Story has already been shot extensively in Kerala under tight security. To avoid leaks and disruptions, the cast and crew reportedly had no access to their mobile phones on set. The filming conditions had been controlled to make the shoot as smooth as possible..
Franchise Background and Expectations
Released in May 2023, The Kerala Story starred Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. The movie was a story of four women who were forcibly converted to be part of the terrorist organization of ISIS, and were part of the state of Kerala in India. Although it was criticized and termed as propaganda by certain quarters, the makers insisted that the narrative was rooted on actual facts.
Despite the controversy, the film turned out to be a massive box office success, earning over Rs 300 crore worldwide according to Sacnilk. It also gained the National Award of Best Direction and Best Cinematography which added more to its effects.
Having already had its release date fixed and its title announcement already receiving a mass buzz, Beyond The Kerala Story is already positioning itself as one of the most debated theatrical releases of 2026. Audiences are keen to see how the makers take the story forward and how much deeper the sequel goes into its subject matter.
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