The Kerala Story controversy: The upcoming film ‘The Kerala Story’ has kicked up a political storm in the country, with the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Congress are demanding a ban on the movie. Now, senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday (May 1) stressed that he was not calling for a ban on the controversial film ‘The Kerala Story’. However, he said, that the Keralites have every right to state that the film is a "misrepresentation of our reality".
Tharoor's position on the screening of the controversial film seems to be in contrast with that of the Kerala Congress which has urged the state government not to give screening permission for the film which it said was “full of lies and painted the Muslim community in bad light.”
Rs 1 cr reward to prove allegations
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Committee of Muslim Youth League has now announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone who proves the allegations levelled in the film and said collection centres for providing the proof will be opened in every district on May 4, reported ANI. Anyone can drop the details in the collection centres. "Prove the allegations that 32,000 Keralites converted and fled to Syria. Take up the challenge and submit the evidence," the poster by the committee read.
Another Muslim lawyer and actor, who remarried his wife recently under the Special Marriage Act (SMA) for the financial security of their daughters, offered Rs 11 lakh for bringing the proof of even 32 women from Kerala who converted and joined the Islamic State, according to PTI.
Tagging a poster of the Muslim Youth League Kerala offering a reward of Rs 1 crore if someone can prove allegations that 32,000 Keralites converted and fled to Syria, Tharoor said, "Now there’s an opportunity for all those hyping the alleged conversions of 32,000 women on Kerala to Islamism — to prove their case and make some money. Will they be up to the challenge or is there simply no proof because none exists?" the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said, using the hashtag 'Not Our Kerala Story'.
“It is not 'our' Kerala story”
In another tweet, he said, "Let me stress, I am not calling for a ban on the film. Freedom of expression does not cease to be valuable just because it can be misused. But Keralites have every right to say loud and clear that this is a misrepresentation of our reality." Sharing a poster of the movie, Tharoor had tweeted on Sunday, "It may be 'your' Kerala story. It is not 'our' Kerala story."
According to the CPI(M) and the Congress in Kerala, the film falsely claims they converted, got radicalised and were deployed in terror missions in India and the world.
'The Kerala Story product of Sangh Parivar's lie factor’
Lashing out at the upcoming movie 'The Kerala Story', Kerela Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said the film appears to have been deliberately made with the aim of communal polarisation and to spread hate propaganda against the state. He said that this fake story is the product of Sangh Parivar's lie factory.
“The trailer of the Hindi film The Kerala Story, which appears to have been deliberately made with the aim of communal polarisation and to spread hate propaganda against Kerala was released last day. It is indicated from the trailer that this film is trying to spread the propaganda of Sangh Parivar, which has established itself as the center of religious extremism in the land of secularism, Kerala,” said the Kerala CM.
About 'The Kerala Story'
'The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, is set to be released in cinemas on May 5. Written and directed by Sudipto Sen, the film is portrayed as "unearthing" the events behind "approximately 32,000 women" allegedly going missing from Kerala.
The film falsely claims they converted, got radicalised and were deployed in terror missions in India and the world. The film's writer-director Sudipto Sen's earlier movies are 'Aasma', 'Lucknow Times' and 'The Last Monk'.
'The Kerala Story' is backed by Sunshine Pictures Private Limited, founded by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who serves as the producer, creative director and co-writer of the film. The film's writer-director Sudipto Sen's earlier movies are 'Aasma', 'Lucknow Times' and 'The Last Monk.'
(With agencies input)
