Mumbai: As The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond gears up for its theatrical release this Friday, February 27, the film is already making headlines due to its sensitive and controversial subject matter. Having been widely controversial and provocative, the movie has become the subject of significant online conversation, particularly once it was announced that it was given a U/A 16+ certificate by Central Board of Film Certification, a choice that angered the industry and viewers alike.
CBFC Orders 16 Key Changes
Before approving the film, the CBFC asked the makers to implement 16 cuts and modifications. Among the most significant changes were reductions in intimate and disturbing scenes. Visuals of kissing were shortened by 50 percent, trimming around 7 seconds from a lip-lock sequence. Likewise, the scene of the rape was also shortened by almost 20 seconds, and it hit half as hard. Two other scenes of physical violence, one where a woman was slapped and another one where the head of a woman was hit, had their length reduced by 2 seconds.
The censor board also instructed modifications to visuals depicting the demolition of the accused’s house using a bulldozer. Moreover, three discussions in various sections of the movie were changed, and a specific word was silenced. Though the specifics of these changes in the dialogue are not revealed, the alterations were carried out to correspond the movie with the certification rules.
Disclaimer Added and Script Verification
To ensure responsible viewing, the CBFC directed the makers to include a disclaimer stating that the film is based on true events. This was a 2 minutes and 3 seconds extension of the duration of this text, with a voice-over. The production staff had also to provide the entire script, the detailed conversations, and the appropriate documents to substantiate the real-life events depicted in the movie. Moreover, a consent form of the casting of a minor artist was provided to meet the legal requirements.
Following these changes, the film was granted its censor certificate on February 16. As per the official certificate, the total runtime of the film stands at 131.24 minutes, which translates to 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 24 seconds.
Star Cast, Makers, and Release Details
The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is a film produced by Vipul Shah and directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, with Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha in the lead roles. The movie is presumed to be the continuation of the risky and dramatic narrative style that brought colossal attention to the first one.
With its release just days away, the film’s controversial content and censorship updates have only added to the curiosity surrounding it. As audiences prepare to witness the story unfold on the big screen, all eyes are now on how the film will be received when it arrives in cinemas on February 27.
Also Read | Anurag Kashyap Slams The Kerala Story 2, Calls It Propaganda and Targets Director Vipul Shah
