By India Blooms News Service May 09, 2023
Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday announced a ban on Sudipto Sens controversial film The Kerala Story.
The film has been courting controversy ever since the trailer was released.
The trailer was criticised earlier for claiming that 32,000 girls from Kerala went missing and joined the terror outfit ISIS.
Speaking to the media, Mamata Banerjee said, West Bengal government has decided to ban the movie The Kerala Story. This is to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and to maintain peace in the state.
What is The Kashmir files? it is to humiliate one section. What is The Kerala story?... It is a distorted story, she said.
Responding to the decision, film producer Vipul Shah said, If that is what she has done, we will take legal action. Whatever is possible under the provisions of law, we will fight.
The Kerala Story was also banned in theatres in Tamil Nadu.
However, the film has maintained a terrific run on the opening days at the box office.
Extending the opening collection of Rs. 8.08 crore, the film has registered Rs. 11.22 crore and Rs. 16 crore on Saturday and Sunday respectively battling peoples interest in cricket extravaganza IPL.
The Kerala Story depicts the alleged radicalisation and conversion of young Hindu and Christian women to Islam in Kerala and their recruitment into the terrorist organisation Islamic State or ISIS.
The Kerala Story has sparked a political controversy. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the films makers of promoting the agenda of the Sangh Parivar.
He criticized the film for painting Kerala as a hub of religious extremism and spreading hate propaganda against the state.
The film was released after the Madras High Court rejected a petition seeking a ban on the release of the controversial film.