The Kerala Story: High Court throws out petition, refuses stay on film

The Kerala Story: In a major boost for the film ‘The Kerala Story’, the Kerala High Court on Friday rejected a petition seeking a stay order on the release of the movie.

The movie, which depicts an alleged Islamist plot to convert non-Muslim girls to Islam and persuade them to join the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria, has been at the epicentre of a raging debate in recent days.

While handing out its judgment, a division bench comprising Justice N Nagaresh and Justice Mohammed Nias CP asserted that the secular Kerala society will accept the film for what it is, adding that the movie is not expected to create sectarianism and conflict in the society.

Asking the petitioner why he thought ‘The Kerala Story’ was an objectionable movie, the high court sought to know whether the entire trailer was against society.

“Nothing will happen just because the film is screened. The teaser of the film was released in November. What was offensive in the film? What is wrong in saying that Allah is the only God? The country gives the citizen the right to believe in their religion and God and spread it. What was offensive in the trailer?” the bench observed while considering a batch of petitions seeking to cancel the censor certificate of the film.

“So many movies have already come out about such organizations. There have been references against Hindu monks and Christian priests in many films before. Did you see all this in the way of fiction? What is so special now? How does this movie create sectarianism and conflict in the society?” the court added.

The petitioners had claimed that the film will inject poison into the minds of innocent people and create problems in society.

The petitioners went on to claim that the law enforcement agencies are yet to detect the existence of ‘Love Jihad’ in Kerala.

Directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, ‘The Kerala Story’ has triggered a massive controversy with various political leaders reacting to the upcoming film.

‘The Kerala Story’ stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani and Sonia Balani in the lead roles. The trailer of Sen’s film ‘The Kerala Story’ came under fire as it claimed that 32,000 girls from the state went missing and later joined the terrorist group, ISIS.

Faced with backlash the makers then withdrew the figure and called the movie the story of three women from Kerala, in its trailer description.

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