Why Did Kerala High Court Impose 15-Day Stay on ‘The Kerala Story 2’ Release?Dy

Kochi: Kerala High Court initially blocked the theatrical release of the highly controversial film The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond just one day before its scheduled premiere on February 27, citing potential threats to public order and communal harmony.

However, a division bench of the court subsequently stayed the single-judge order, clearing the path for the film’s release.

On February 26, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas granted a 15-day interim stay on the film’s screening, directing the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the Union Government to review pending revision petitions challenging the film’s certification within two weeks.

The court observed a prima facie “manifest non-application of mind” by the CBFC while granting certification, noting that content in the film’s trailer, such as the claim “Inspired by true events,” a dialogue about a “mission to convert Hindu girls,” and a title card stating “Sharia law will be enforced across all of India”, could distort public perception and disturb communal harmony.

The ruling came in response to separate petitions filed by two Kerala residents, who argued that the sequel to the 2023 film The Kerala Story unfairly portrays their state as a hub for Islamic extremism without evidence, thereby damaging Kerala’s reputation for religious diversity, communal harmony, and high literacy. One petitioner claimed personal harm to his regional identity and right to reputation, while the other alleged racial profiling abroad due to the first film’s impact.

India’s film certification system, unlike the self-regulatory MPAA model in the United States, involves government prior censorship. The court stated that while it cannot substitute its judgment for the CBFC’s expertise, content with prima facie potential to incite disharmony requires reassessment.

The single-judge order sparked immediate appeals from the film’s producer, Vipul Amrutlal Shah. On February 27, a division bench comprising Justices SA Dharmadhikari and PV Balakrishnan stayed the interim order for two weeks (or vacated it in some reports), allowing the film to proceed with release subject to certain conditions, such as CBFC confirmation that controversial trailer elements are absent from the final film.

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