Kerala Story 2 Row: Petition In Kerala High Court To Cancel Film’s Censor Certificate

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20: A 26-year-old biologist from Kerala has moved the Kerala High Court against the upcoming film The Kerala Story 2. Identifying himself as a Malayali Brahmin, Sreedev Namboodiri has questioned both the content and the title of the sequel, arguing that it unfairly targets Kerala and its people.

Sreedev Namboodiri, a native of Chittariparamba in Kannur district, has filed a petition seeking cancellation of the censor certificate granted to The Kerala Story 2 by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). 

His plea argues that the Board failed to properly assess whether the film’s content could threaten public order, decency, morality or national integrity, as mandated under Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act.

The petitioner contends that the sequel contains “malicious and stereotypical projections scandalising an entire state without any basis”. According to the plea, “A perusal of the trailer of the movie shows that the story is based on women from three different states and takes place mainly in the northern part of India. Yet, the title and scenes try to portray the state in a bad light. 5. The movie tends to alienate Kerala and Keralites from the rest of India, despite the fact that Keralites work across India and the world, contributing to the Indian economy and providing residence and employment to several migrant workers from other parts of India.”

The petition further states, “Also, the name is an intentional attempt to impute a reality to what is more or less a speculative fear of the writer or director. While the petitioner is not against the freedom of expression of the writer – filmmaker to express their fears, whether substantive or speculative, they cannot attribute that fear to Kerala, to an entire state, falsely.”

Namboodiri has also objected to the provocative line in the film’s promotional material – “we will not tolerate anymore, we will fight” – and questioned the use of the title The Kerala Story, arguing that it creates a misleading impression.

Taking cognisance of the petition, the Kerala High Court has issued notice to the CBFC and directed it to respond. The court has also asked the film’s producer, Sunshine Pictures, to file its reply. The matter is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, February 24.

The controversy surrounding The Kerala Story 2 intensified after the makers released the trailer of the sequel. The film portrays Hindu women allegedly being trapped by Islamic men in the name of love, with parallel narratives showing how “romance and rebellion transform into control and silence”, turning love into what is depicted as a weapon that destroys freedom.

The sequel is written by Amarnath Jha and Vipul Amrutlal Shah, and directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh. It has already drawn sharp reactions from political quarters.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier expressed strong opposition to reports of the sequel, stating that it would be another attempt to incite “communal discord” within the state.