Sudipto Sen's upcoming movie The Kerala Story has been stirring controversies ever since the first teaser was released. However, as the film is nearing its release on May 5, the political storm is only getting bigger. The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has called it a 'Sanghi propoganda'. 



The Supreme Court has refused to entertain the plea seeking a stay on the film's release. The censor board has given it an A certificate with 10 cuts. The Kerala State Committee of Muslim Youth League has announced a reward of Rs 1 crore to anyone who proves that the allegations shown in the movie are true. Here's what's happening. 

The political storm around The Kerala Story intensifies

What is The Kerala Story about?

The story of the film, as revealed by the teaser and trailer, shows how a group of women from Kerala were brainwashed into converting to Islam and later join the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 

The controversy

The makers portrayed that the film is based on a real story, and hence, it is receiving backlash from others who claim that these are false claims. In the trailer, a woman who introduces herself as Fatima Bi (played by Adah Sharma) says that nearly 32,000 women like her were brainwashed into converting to Islam and were sent to join the terrorist organisation in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria.

The movie claims to show the reality of what these missing women from Kerala went through.

Propaganda Movie?

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan called it a propaganda movie aimed at communal polarisation. He said that the film has been made to gain an advantage in the electoral politics of Kerala by Sangh Parivaar. Read his statement here.

Police complaint against the director

Aravindakshan BR, a journalist from Chennai has filed a complaint against the director seeking a ban on the movie.

Kerala State Committee of Muslim Youth League is asking for proof

In fact, the Muslim body has announced a prize of Rs 1 crore to anyone who proves what's shown in the film is true.  "Prove the allegations that 32,000 Keralites converted and fled to Syria. Take up the challenge and submit the evidence," the poster by the committee read.

C Shukkur, a Muslim lawyer and actor, has announced a prize of Rs 11 lakhs to anyone who proves that this happened to 32 women. He said ththree women, who married 2 brothers who were Palakkad natives, "are the only reported cases to have joined ISIS from outside the Muslim community from Kerala".

What does filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah has to say?

Shah stands his ground and says he is simply stating facts. "I can only expect things to get political when you’re making something which is an uncomfortable truth and people find it difficult to deal with. Hence, resistance is bound to happen. I don’t necessarily feel it’s a bad thing because people in a democracy have all the right to disagree with us and we’ve all the right to go and make a film that we believe in as long as we’re saying the truth," he said to News 18. 

The SC has asked the petitioner to approach the appropriate forum for this.  "We cannot tag it. Why don't you move the concerned High Court first. See a board has certified it through a process," a bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna remarked.

Is The Kerala Story the next Kashmir Files?

The film is drawing similar criticism as the Vivek Agnihotri which was based on 1990 exodus of Kashmiri pandits. The Kashmir Files was also called a propaganda film while the makers asserted it's only based on facts. The Anupam Kher starrer movie also kicked up a political storm and drew criticism from Muslim bodies.