Mumbai: The Kerala High Court has temporarily halted the release process of The Kerala Story 2, raising serious concerns over its certification and subject matter. In one of the key hearings, the film makers were ordered by the court to suspend the provisions of the rights to the film immediately until the court conducts an elaborate scrutiny of the petitions submitted against the movie. The movie was initially planned to enter theatres on February 27, however, its further appearance is now dependent upon the proceeding court session.
Court Flags Concerns, Orders Makers to Wait
During the proceedings, the bench observed that the issues raised by the petitioners appeared “probably genuine.” The judges emphasised that care should be taken, particularly because the rights to the film were likely to be finalised shortly. The court strongly advised the producers that no commercial steps should be made regarding the release of the film until the hearing period ends and a final ruling is made.
The bench also expressed surprise over the Central Board of Film Certification granting the film a U/A certificate instead of an A rating, considering the sensitive nature of its content. The judges wondered why such a serious and controversial film received a U/A rating. The court also observed that there was a paucity of time to research on the issue in details and therefore a cautious measure was required before any activity involving the release was permitted.
CBFC and Producers Defend Their Stand
The certification was defended by the counsel representing the CBFC who stated that film titles using the name of Indian states and cities is not a recent development. To prove the point, the examples of Go Goa Gone, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and Delhi Belly have been mentioned, saying that such ways of naming things were common in Indian cinema since the very beginning.
On behalf of the film’s producers, the lawyer maintained that the story focuses on women survivors and their struggles. The counsel also contended that the petition presents more general legal issues such as whether the grievance is a public interest issue. They argued that the cancellation of the film certification seeking has no definite legal basis and that Kerala cannot be detached to the greater identity of India. Considering the issues regarding state image, the counsel mentioned that the dignity in question is the dignity of the nation as a whole.
The producers also assured the court that they would not release any rights or proceed with the film’s distribution until the bench delivers its final verdict. After hearing preliminary arguments from both sides, the matter was adjourned and will resume tomorrow.
Why the The Kerala Story 2 Is Facing Fresh Legal Trouble
The Kerala Story 2 deals with a highly sensitive and controversial theme. The movie states that young Hindu women are enticed into interfaith marriages, abused, deprived their fundamental rights, and made to change their religions. This has prompted the objection of some quarters of the Malayali community and the film has come under a fresh challenge of lawsuits.
The film is directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and starring Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha in the main roles. The scandal about the sequel resembles the strong negative reception of its first version as it also provoked a national debate.
With the court yet to deliver its final word, the fate of The Kerala Story 2 now hangs in balance, as audiences and the industry await the next hearing for clarity on its release.
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