What is Kerala Story’s True Narrative?
The movie makes the claim that it is based on genuine accounts of Keralan women who were forced to convert to Islam and join ISIS. Along with Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani, and Sonia Balani, it was produced by Vipul Shah.
‘The Kerala Story‘ was first outlawed in West Bengal. The administration announced its decision to ban the movie’s screening on Monday, citing the need to prevent “any incident of hatred or violence to maintain law and order in the state.”
In response to a writ suit submitted by the directors of the divisive movie, the Supreme Court gave notice to the states of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Friday. The matter was scheduled for next Wednesday by a panel that included Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha.
Senior Attorney Harish Salve, who is representing Sunshine Productions, the film’s producer, claimed that the West Bengal Chief Minister spoke out against the film on the day it was set to be released, claiming that it was anti-community and that its screening might result in issues with law and order. After playing without incident for three days, the State decided to outlaw the movie. Salve added that because the movie’s exhibitors withdrew it in response to threats, the movie is currently subject to a “de facto ban” in Tamil Nadu.
The remainder of the nation sees the film’s release. West Bengal is comparable to other regions of the nation. Why should the state of West Bengal outlaw the movie if it may be seen in other regions of the nation? The general audience won’t watch a movie if they don’t believe it’s worthwhile. It is active in other regions of the nation with comparable demography to West Bengal. Why should you not let a movie go?
In opposition to the stay request, Singhvi argued that the state has authority under Section 6 of the West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation) Act 1954. However, CJI stated that the state would not be heard from before the court issues any interim orders.
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) questioned the Additional Attorney General of Tamil Nadu, Advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, saying, “We would like to know from you what are the precise administrative preparations to ensure safety. The state government cannot claim that it will turn a blind eye to attacks on theatres and the burning of chairs. You have a responsibility to maintain safety. The court ordered the state of Tamil Nadu to submit an affidavit outlining the actions it took.
The decision to forbid the film’s exhibition was made on May 8 by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee, who stated that it was made “to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and to maintain peace in the state.” The West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1954’s Section 6(1) powers were used by the government for this.
The filmmakers appealed this judgment to the Supreme Court under the authority of Article 32 of the Constitution, arguing that the State Government lacks the authority to outlaw a picture that has been approved for public exhibition by the Central Board of Picture Certification. The petitioners argue that the State Government cannot restrict the movie from being screened due to concerns about law and order since doing so would violate their fundamental rights. The West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1954’s Section 6(1) has also been contested by petitioners on the grounds that it gives the state government arbitrary and unrestrained authority. The petitioners claim that after receiving an informal message from the State government, Tamil Nadu’s exhibitors withdrew their screenings of the movie.
As it tells the tale of women who were deceitfully recruited by ISIS, the film has drawn criticism for allegedly casting a negative light on the whole Muslim population as well as the Indian state of Kerala. On May 5, Justice N. Nagaresh and Justice Sophy Thomas from the division bench of the Kerala High Court declined to stay at the screening of the movie. The Central Board of Picture Certification (CBFC) certified the picture for public viewing, and the court noted that the film only stated that it was “inspired by true events.”. The bench saw the movie trailer and expressed the opinion that it didn’t offend any particular community. The bench also took note of the fact that none of the petitioners had seen the movie and that the filmmakers had included a statement stating that the story was imaginary.
The High Court did note the producer’s request, nevertheless, that the preview of the film, which implied that more than 32,000 women from Kerala had been recruited by ISIS, be taken down from their social media accounts. In a related incident, the Kerala High Court’s denial to stay at the film’s exhibition was challenged, and the Kerala Supreme Court consented to hear the case on May 15 via a special leave petition.