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Tag: The Kerala Story

  • ‘The Kerala Story’ to be screened at FTII

    ‘The Kerala Story’ to be screened at FTII

    MUMBAI: The makers of “The Kerala Story” have announced that a special screening of the movie will be held for the students of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

    Directed by Sudipto Sen, “The Kerala Story” depicts how women from Kerala were forced to convert and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS). It is produced by Vipul Shah’s Sunshine Pictures.

    “We are very excited to meet our own people there. This is the future of the industry that is getting ready in FTII. It would be very interesting and exciting to see how they are looking at ‘The Kerala Story’, and what they think of it. What they have understood and their viewpoint, which is the future’s viewpoint. It is going to be fun,” Shah said in a statement.

    The movie, which has polarised the political discourse in the country, was released in theatres on May 5.

    The West Bengal government had imposed a ban on the film on May 8, apprehending tensions among the communities. Theatres in Tamil Nadu had decided to stop its screening from May 7 onwards, citing the law-and-order situation and a poor audience turnout.

    On Thursday, the Supreme Court stayed the West Bengal government’s order banning the film in the state and asked Tamil Nadu to ensure the safety of the moviegoers.

    “The Kerala Story” stars Adah Sharma in the lead, along with actors Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani and Siddhi Idnani. Shah also serves as the creative director, and the co-writer of the film. The movie has so far raised over Rs 150 crore at the domestic box office.

  • SC stays Bengal government order banning MOVIE ‘The Kerala Story’

    SC stays Bengal government order banning MOVIE ‘The Kerala Story’

    The Supreme Court today stayed the West Bengal government’s order banning the public screening of movie ‘The Kerala Story’. The court said the May 8 order suffers from “overbreadth” and is not based on any material produced before Court.

    It said that statutory provisions cannot be used to “put a premium on public intolerance” and hinted that it may stay the West Bengal government’s order banning the movie, “The Kerala Story”.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said it is the duty of the state government to maintain law and order as the film has been granted certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

    “Bad films bomb at the box office,” the bench said.

    “The legal provision cannot be used to put a premium on public intolerance. Otherwise, all films will find themselves in this spot,” the bench, also comprising justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala, said during the hearing which is still on.

    The states cannot sit in appeal over the grant of certification to the movie, said senior advocate Harish Salve appearing for the producer of the movie.

    Meanwhile one of the petitioner in the case Qurban Ali said that his stand vindicated as it heared SLP

    “We are thankful to the honourable Supreme Court for hearing our SLP.Now the honourable court will watch this movie (Kerala stories) regarding the challenge to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certification, the Court said it would be listed after summer vacations as the Court would first have to see the movie for that” said Ali

    “The challenge to the final judgment of the Madras High Court challenging the CBFC certification we will list after vacations. We will have to see the film for that. We will do that,” the bench said.

    Qurban Ali said that our demand for a disclaimer was also accepted by the honourable court.
    During the hearing, the bench also questioned the claim made by the film that 32,000 women from Kerala have been deceitfully converted into Islam. Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the film producer, agreed to clarify in the disclaimer that “there is no authentic data available to back up the suggestion that the figure of conversions is 32000 or any other established figure”. He said that the disclaimer will be added by 5 PM on 5 PM on May 20. The disclaimer will clarify that the film represents a fictionalised version of subject matter.

    Bench questions 32,000 figure At this juncture, CJI Chandrachud asked Salve about the 32,000 figure and said it is a “distorted figure”. “Mr Salve, said that it will be clarified in the film disclaimer that there is no authentic figure available.

    Further, CJI Chandrachud told senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the producer of the movie, that there needs to be proper disclaimer in the film.

    “The disclaimer should say that there is no authentic data to back up the suggestion that the figure of conversions is 32000 or any other established figure,” Salve said, as reported by Live Law.

    To this, the CJI responded, “Disclaimer should say that it’s fictionalised.”

  • ‘The Kerala Story’ producer donates Rs 51 lakh to ashram in the state

    ‘The Kerala Story’ producer donates Rs 51 lakh to ashram in the state

    MUMBAI: Following the release of ‘The Kerala Story’ in the UK, the team behind the film addressed the media to celebrate the success of the film. The film, according to its makers, is likely to cross the Rs 190-crore-mark in India today.

    ‘The Kerala Story’ has been facing the backlash of a certain political parties and groups that have claimed that the film is not based on facts, and propagates hatred against the Muslim community.

    The West Bengal government has declared a ban on ‘The Kerala Story’ in the state and in Tamil Nadu, exhibitors have withdrawn it from theatres, but the film has still become a commercial success.

    At the press conference, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film producer, claimed that uncovering the truth behind “this hidden scandal” was of paramount importance.

    People are trying to claim that this movie is a fake, the makers are lying and the film is filthy, which is not the case. The film is bigger than just the story of three girls, Shah said.

    Shah used the occasion to announce that he had donated Rs 51 lakh to the Aarsha Vidya Samajam Ashram, which takes care of survivors of religion conversion. The makers also invited 26 girls from the Ashram to interact with the media along with the film’s ensemble cast.

    ‘The Kerala Story’ follows the story of a group of women from the state who are converted to Islam and join the jihadist group ISIS.

    -IANS

  • Ban on ‘The Kerala Story’: SC seeks response of TN, Bengal govts

    Ban on ‘The Kerala Story’: SC seeks response of TN, Bengal govts

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday sought replies of the West Bengal and Tamil Nadu governments on a plea of the producers of ‘The Kerala Story’ challenging the ban in the two states.

    A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha questioned the West Bengal government saying the film is being screened in the rest of the country without any problem and there appears to be no reason for the ban.”Movie 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. If people do not like the movie, they will not watch the movie,” the bench told senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the West Bengal government.

    Singhvi said according to intelligence inputs, there may be a situation of law and order problem and peace among different communities may be breached. The bench also asked the Tamil Nadu government to specify measures taken to provide adequate security to theatres screening ‘The Kerala Story’.

    ”The state government cannot say that it will look the other way when theatres are attacked and chairs are being burnt,” the bench told advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, appearing for Tamil Nadu government, after he submitted that there is no ban on the film.

    Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for producers of the movie, said there is de facto ban in Tamil Nadu as theatres screening the movie are being threatened and they have dropped the screenings. ,”For West Bengal, we are seeking quashing of the ban order,” he said.

    ”We are issuing notices to both the states and they may file their response by Wednesday. We will take up the matter on Thursday,” the bench said. ,’The Kerala Story’, starring Adah Sharma, was released in cinemas on May 5. Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film claims women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State(IS).

  • UP CM watches ‘The Kerala Story’ with cabinet

    UP CM watches ‘The Kerala Story’ with cabinet

    Lucknow (IANS) | Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath watched the film ‘The Kerala Story’ along with his cabinet colleagues on Friday. A special screening of the film was held at Lok Bhavan Auditorium. The Chief Minister was present throughout the film. Along with the Chief Minister and ministers, a large number of BJP officials, women associated with various social and cultural organizations, school students and media representatives were present here. While congratulating all the people associated with the film, CM Yogi Adityanath tweeted and sent his best wishes.

    More than 50 cabinet ministers and legislators were also present along with the CM. Apart from this, there were more than 50 officers and 300 female students. On May 9, the Chief Minister had announced that the film would be tax free in UP. Earlier, BJP Yuva Morcha also showed this film free of cost to schoolgirls in Lucknow and Agra.

    During this, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said, I am very happy that I am getting an opportunity to watch ‘The Kerala Story’ with the entire cabinet at Lok Bhavan. We demand lifting of the ban on this film in West Bengal. In the coming time, the truth of West Bengal will also come in front of the people.

    Minister Swatantra Dev Singh said that the film ‘The Kerala Story’ is based on the real pictures of the society and the incidents that have happened. Society will get direction from this film, children will be alert. It is not fair to ban artists.

    Madhu, who came to see the film, said that every Hindu girl needs to take a message from this film. We all need to make each other aware. If it is known that a friend is entangled in a matter related to religion, then he should be explained.

    Kartika Singh said that this film is giving the message of awakening in the society. If we make our children aware about the culture and Hindu religion, then the situation of disorientation will never come.

    Romita Singh said that this is not just an issue of religious conversion. It is shown in the film how religion is being converted into terrorism. This film gives us a message to be careful.

    –IANS

  • The team of the film ‘The Kerala Story’ paid a courtesy call on CM Yogi at his official residence

    The team of the film ‘The Kerala Story’ paid a courtesy call on CM Yogi at his official residence

    Lucknow: The team of the film ‘The Kerala Story’ paid a courtesy call on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his official residence on Wednesday.
    Film’s producers Gana Vipul Shah, Vir Kapoor, director Sudipto Sen and actress Adah Sharma met the Chief Minister.

  • Anurag Kashyap said on ‘The Kerala Story’, it is absolutely wrong to ban

    Anurag Kashyap said on ‘The Kerala Story’, it is absolutely wrong to ban

    Mumbai (IANS) | Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has spoken about the ban on the recently released film ‘The Kerala Story’. Responding to the ban on ‘The Kerala Story’ in West Bengal on Wednesday, Kashyap tweeted, “Whether you agree with the film or not, whether it is propaganda or propaganda, it is wrong to ban it.”

    He also shared a quote from French philosopher Voltaire, which read: I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the end your right to say it.

    ‘The Kerala Story’ is currently in controversy as the film’s trailer claims that 32,000 girls from Kerala have gone missing and joined terrorist group ISIS. Later the makers of the film changed it to three women.

    Anurag Kashyap tweeted that it is absolutely wrong to ban a film, even if it is propaganda. He asked people to watch ‘Rumor’, which speaks against the misuse of social media and how implicit bias is weaponized to create hatred and unrest.

    You want to fight propaganda, he tweeted. Then visit ‘Afwah’ which talks about the misuse of social media. It is running in theatres. Your voice is strong. Go make a point. This is the right way to fight.

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently directed the state’s Chief Secretary to ensure that the film ‘The Kerala Story’ is removed from all screens.

  • New type of terrorism which is without ammunition: Nadda on ‘The Kerala Story’

    New type of terrorism which is without ammunition: Nadda on ‘The Kerala Story’

    Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 8 (ANI): After watching the movie ‘The Kerala Story’, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda said that there is a new type of terrorism which is without ammunition, adding that the film exposes “poisonous terrorism”.

    Nadda on Sunday, attend a special screening of the movie in the Garuda Mall, Bengaluru where he is also campaigning for the party for the upcoming Assembly polls.

    While talking to reporters, Nadda said, “There’s a new type of terrorism which is without ammunition, ‘Kerala Story’ exposes that poisonous terrorism. This kind of terrorism isn’t related to any state or religion…”

    Earlier, while addressing a rally in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that ‘The Kerala Story’ movie is based on a terror conspiracy.

    The Prime Minister said that the film ‘The Kerala Story’ shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists’ design. He added that the film is based on a terror conspiracy.

  • The Kerala Story Screenings Cancelled In Tamil Nadu Over Law And Order Concerns

    The Kerala Story Screenings Cancelled In Tamil Nadu Over Law And Order Concerns

    Amid stinging reviews, allegedly poor box office collections as well as protests, theatres in Tamil Nadu stopped the screening of “The Kerala Story” in the State from May 7 onwards.

    When this writer tried to book via online platforms for a Sunday afternoon show, it was not possible anymore.

    President of Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association, M Subramaniam, popularly known as Tiruppur Subramaniam, confirmed the news that the few multiplexes that had shown the film had decided to withdraw it.

    “The film was only shown in a few multiplexes owned by pan-India groups, mostly PVR. Locally-owned multiplexes had already decided not to show the film, as it did not have any popular stars. In Coimbatore for instance, there were two shows so far — one on Friday and one on Saturday. Even those did not do well. Given that, theatres decided that it was not worth going through the threat of protests and such,” added Subramaniam.

    On April 6, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) staged a protest against the release of the film in Chennai. Seeman, the party’s coordinator, who is also actor and director, along with NTK cadres, had protested near Anna Nagar Arch.

    Film industry tracker Sreedhar Pillai, who said he was planning to watch the film on Sunday, only to find out it was no longer shown, had also tweeted that the film multiplexes will stop screening “The Kerala Story”.

    “The multiplex owners have cited potential law and order issues and lack of interest as reasons for the move,” said Pillai.

    Meanwhile in Kerala, according to the distributors, E4 Entertainment, 22 screens across the State are screening the films. Although the theatre owners in Kerala had told Press Trust of India before the release of the film that they were not worried about the adverse publicity, on the day of release, on May 5, a few theatres, including PVR Cinemas at Lulu Mall and Oberon Mall in Kochi, decided not to screen the film. When contacted, a spokesperson for PVR Cinemas had declined to comment.

  • Security tightened near Hyderabad theatres screening ‘The Kerala Story’

    Security tightened near Hyderabad theatres screening ‘The Kerala Story’

    Hyderabad: Hyderabad city police have tightened security near multiplexes and theatres screening ‘The Kerala Story’. This decision was taken to avoid any untoward incidents during or after the screening of the movie.

    Speaking to Siasat.com, a cop from Kachiguda Police Station confirmed that constables are being deployed at theatres in Hyderabad screening ‘The Kerala Story’ to ensure the safety and security of moviegoers and the general public.

    Controversy surrounding ‘The Kerala Story’
    Ever since the release of its trailer, ‘The Kerala Story’ has been in the news due to its alleged communal content. Amidst the raging controversy, the producers of the film have changed the text of the introduction to the film in its latest teasers on YouTube. The earlier text mentioned that around 32,000 women have gone missing from Kerala. However, the latest version says that three women were sent on terror missions in India and abroad after brainwash and conversion.

    The film, starring Adah Sharma, created a major controversy when it claimed that 32,000 women had left the state. As a result, a petition was filed before the Kerala High Court seeking a ban on the screening of the film.

    However, the High Court pointed out that in a secular state like Kerala, “nothing is going to happen”. The court stated that upon examining the teaser and the film preview, there was nothing against any religion and that Islam was not portrayed in poor light. The court further noted that there have been several films in the country that refer to IS.