Will Kerala Story 2 get clearance in South India? Kerala High Court to watch film amid terrible depiction of state row

Dubai: In a few hours, Kerala High Court will make a call on whether the controversial film Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond will be allowed to release in the South Indian state.

after it reportedly ordered a personal screening of the film.

The movie's trailer about forced religious conversions of Malayali girls into Muslims has come under fire over the way Kerala state has been depicted.

Critics, including Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, have argued that the film paints Kerala in a negative light, raising concerns about potential communal tension.

According to reports, during the hearing on Tuesday, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas acknowledged the delicate balance between artistic freedom and public sensitivity.

“Kerala lives in total harmony. But the film portrays that this is happening all over Kerala. That is a wrong indication, and it can incite passion. That is where the censor board comes into play,” the judge noted.

While courts typically avoid intervening in creative works, the use of Kerala in the title, combined with the film’s claim of being inspired by true events, has prompted judicial scrutiny.

The High Court has scheduled a screening for Wednesday before making any further decision. Producers have been directed to inform the court about the timing and venue.

The legal and social angle

The dispute centers on the so-called love-jihad/religious conversion narrative. Petitioners argue that the film depicts a group of young women as “victims of love jihad,” none of whom are actually from Kerala. Yet, by titling the movie The Kerala Story 2, they contend, the film casts the state’s society in a negative light.

Producers, on the other hand, maintain that the movie does not target any community or religion. The tension highlights a broader question: when a film claims to be inspired by real events and uses a state’s name, to what extent should the state’s reputation influence its certification?

The court’s approach is not unprecedented. Justice Thomas referenced the 2025 film Haal, which required cuts after objections were raised about certain scenes. Similar standards may apply to Kerala Story 2 after the screening.

Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, the film is produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.