Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut said the ban imposed on The Kerala Story by some states was ‘unconstitutional’ after it was cleared by the CBFC. "Banning a film which has been passed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) amounts to insulting the constitution. The ban on 'The Kerala Story' by some states is not correct" Ranaut said. Directed by Sudipto Sen, "The Kerala Story" has polarised the political discourse in the country as it depicts how women from Kerala were forced to convert and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS).
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, citing the law-and-order situation and a poor audience turnout.
Last week, 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. According to Kangana, people often complain that Bollywood does not make the kind of films they want to watch. "When a film like 'The Kerala Story' is made, people's complaint is redressed. Such films help the film industry," she said.
'The Kerala Story' stars Adah Sharma in the lead, along with actors Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani and Siddhi Idnani. The Kerala Story made headlines upon its release, becoming embroiled in a web of controversies. Despite facing calls for a ban, protests, and ongoing uproar, the film managed to amass a staggering 200 crores within just 18 days of its release.
About 'The Kerala Story'
In ‘The Kerala Story’, actress Adah Sharma plays the role of Fathima Ba, a Hindu Malayali nurse, who is among the 32,000 women who went missing from Kerala and were then recruited to the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) after being forced to convert to Islam. Also, the film highlights 'Love Jihad' propaganda, where Muslim men manipulate Hindu girls to convert to Islam and abandon their families.
Soon after the trailer of the film was released, a petition was filed against it on grounds of 'worst kind of hate speech' and 'audio-visual propaganda'. Many political leaders slammed the film and claimed that the makers are making false claims that it is a real story and that the number '32000 women' is fake.
(With Inputs from PTI)
