‘The Kerala Story’, a film mired in controversy, was released in more than 200 screens in the US and Canada on Friday with its director Sudipto Sen saying the movie is a mission which is beyond the creative boundaries of cinema.
“The country was in denial of the long existing issue in the state of Kerala. ‘The Kerala Story’ is a mission which is beyond the creative boundaries of cinema, a movement that should reach the masses all over the world and raise awareness,” Sen told a group of Indian- American reporters during a virtual news conference.
“The film’s subject was hidden from the masses and deserved to be told. We made the film in order to initiate deliberation worldwide,” said the producer of the film, Vipul Shah. The film tells the story of three girls who were converted to Islam and ended up joining the ISIS.
“This is a very bold, honest and true film which in the beginning got no support, today stands at the point of releasing worldwide with a spectacular box office success in just six days,” Shah said in response to a question at the virtual news conference organised by its Impact Advisor Priya Sawant and community leader Vijay Pallod.
SC Notice to Bengal, Tamil Nadu
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court sought to know the rationale behind ‘The Kerala Story’ movie being banned in West Bengal when it is running across the country without any problem.
“Why should West Bengal ban the movie? It is running in the rest of the country including in states having similar demographic composition and nothing has happened. This has nothing to do with the artistic value of the film,” observed a bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha, and issued notices to West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
Though the movie has not been banned in Tamil Nadu, theatre owners have decided not to screen it over law and order concerns, a move that the makers claimed was a “de facto ban”. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the West Bengal government, cited intelligence inputs to claim there may be a law and order problem.
The court also sought to know about the security provided to theatres screening the movie in Tamil Nadu. It told the state’s counsel that the government cannot look the other way when theatres are attacked. The matter has been posted to next Wednesday.
