The Kerala High Court on Thursday, February 26, granted an interim stay on the release of The Kerala Story 2, noting that prima facie there is non-application of mind by the Censor Board while certifying the movie, as per PTI.
The order was passed by Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas while hearing two pleas that challenged the release of the film. In its order, the court also observed that the guidelines meant to ensure a film does not disrupt social harmony appear not to have been followed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The Kerala Story 2 was scheduled to release on Friday, and in an affidavit filed on Wednesday, producer Vipul Shah had said that only the censor board has the authority to stay a film’s release.
Petitions had been filed before the Kerala High Court challenging the grant of censor certification to the film. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, in his order, said, “…the content of the teaser, which is considered part of the film, prima facie has the potential to distort people’s thinking and disturb communal harmony…”
The judge further said that the Central Board of Film Certification had, at first glance, overlooked the guidelines for film certification and asked the body to re-examine the matter.
The court also observed, “The dissemination of such content, which has the tendency to create conflict, disturb law and order, and even weaken social harmony, cannot fall within the scope of the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India.”
The Kerala Story 2 is a sequel to the National Award-winning The Kerala Story, which was released in 2023. The film follows the lives of three young women who, as shown in the narrative, get into deceptive marriages and are allegedly subjected to forced religious conversion.
Since the trailer was released, The Kerala Story 2 has triggered strong reactions. Opposition leaders, celebrities and several social media users have criticised it as “propaganda”, while the makers have maintained that it is based on researched real-life events.
