Kerala High Court Orders The Kerala Story 2 Screening

Kerala High Court orders private screening of The Kerala Story 2 amid controversy and teaser withdrawal.

The Kerala Story 2

Can a movie title be a weapon of mass alienation?

On Tuesday, the Kerala High Court decided it wasn’t willing to take the filmmakers’ word for it. In a rare move, the court ordered a special screening of The Kerala Story 2 in Kochi before its scheduled release this Friday.

The sequel to the 2023 National Award-winner has once again ignited a firestorm, with its teaser already being withdrawn by the makers following the court’s pointed observation that the “concerns of the people of Kerala cannot be kept aside.”

The Petitioner’s Stand: A Brahmin Biologist’s Fight

The legal challenge wasn’t mounted by a political party, but by Sreedev Namboodiri, a 26-year-old biologist from Kannur.

• The Core Argument: Namboodiri argues that the film uses “Kerala” in its title to scandalize the state, despite much of the trailer’s plot—involving POCSO complaints and forced conversions—taking place in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
• Economic Alienation: The petition warns that such “stereotypical projections” threaten to alienate Keralites from the rest of the country, ignoring the state’s massive economic and social contribution to the Indian fabric.

The Legal Tightrope (Section 5B)

The petition specifically targets the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Under Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act, a film cannot be certified if it is deemed against the interests of “public order, decency, or morality.”+1

The Filmmakers’ Defense: Director Kamakhya Narayan Singh and Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah remain resolute. They claim the film is inspired by “15-20 real incidents” and serves as a warning for “daughters and brothers” across the country.

They argue that ignoring these “uncomfortable realities” only allows them to grow.

The Battle of Narratives

The friction has transcended the courtroom and entered the realm of cultural philosophy:

• The Political Response: CM Pinarayi Vijayan has labeled the sequel an attempt to incite “communal discord.”
• The “Intellectual” Clash: After the director called actor Prakash Raj “intellectually bankrupt,” Raj responded with a viral post about food diversity, urging society to live in “harmony” without “complicating” simple human connections.

The “Propaganda” Paradox

History shows that the more a film is legally contested for being “divisive,” the higher its viewership often climbs.

What people get wrong about these controversies:

• The Title is the Brand: Even if the scenes are set in the North, the “Kerala” branding is a tactical choice to leverage the viral momentum of the first film.
• The Fact-Check Trap: While the makers claim “every scene is real,” the legal definition of “Inspired by true events” offers significant creative leeway, making it difficult for courts to ban content entirely without infringing on the right to freedom of expression.

What’s Next?

The screening in Kochi will determine the film’s fate this Friday. If the court finds the content violates Section 5B, we could see a stay on the release or a mandatory title change—similar to the controversies that dogged the original film in 2023.

Key Takeaways:

• Release Date: February 27, 2026 (Pending Court Approval).
• The Focus: Three parallel narratives across Rajasthan, MP, and Kerala.
• The Stakes: National integrity vs. Creative license.