‘The Kerala Story 2’ release date has been derailed by a dramatic High Court stay, putting the film’s big-screen debut in serious jeopardy. With judges reserving their verdict, the movie now stands on the edge of a make-or-break legal showdown.
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The much-talked-about release date of ‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ has suddenly turned into courtroom drama. Just a day before the film was set to hit theatres on February 27, the Kerala High Court stepped in and everything changed overnight. What was supposed to be a Friday opening is now hanging in suspense.
On Thursday, a division bench of the Kerala High Court said it is reserving its judgment on an appeal filed by the film’s producer. This appeal challenges an earlier interim order by a single judge who had stayed the movie’s release for two weeks.
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That single-judge order had put a 15-day pause on the film, even though it had already received certification from the censor board. The division bench examined whether it was legally correct to stop a certified film from being released in this way. Now, with the court reserving its order, everyone is waiting for the final word.
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The film’s immediate future depends entirely on what the court decides next.
Earlier in the day, the High Court had officially ordered a two-week interim stay on the Hindi film’s release. The court said the movie should not be released until all arguments in the case are fully heard.
The bench observed that the teaser and trailer of the film had the potential to disturb communal harmony. That concern became a key reason behind the temporary halt.
The judges also questioned how petitions opposing the film’s certification were entertained at such an early stage. They noted that these pleas appeared similar to public interest litigations.
The legal fight began with a petition filed by Sreedev Namboodiri. He asked the court to cancel the film’s U/A certificate. In his plea, he argued that ‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ portrays Kerala and its people in negative way and spreads harmful stereotypes.
According to the petition, the film could damage image of the state and create social tension. These claims pushed the court to take a closer look at how the film was cleared for release.
During the hearing, the High Court also criticised the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The bench said it appeared that the Board may not have properly applied its mind before granting certification.
The court observed that the CBFC must carefully consider concerns raised by petitioners, especially in sensitive matters involving communal harmony.
Interestingly, before granting certification, the CBFC had already suggested 16 modifications to the film. After these changes were made, the film, which has a running time of 131 minutes and 24 seconds, was given a U/A 16+ certificate.
The film is directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under the banner of Sunshine Pictures.
Since the release of its promotional material, the movie has been surrounded by controversy. The makers have consistently maintained that the story is inspired by “true incidents.” They have defended the film’s intent and stood by its narrative.
Now, their appeal before the division bench is an attempt to lift the stay and allow the film to reach theatres.
The political temperature also rose after Pinarayi Vijayan publicly welcomed the High Court’s decision to stay the film’s release.
In a Facebook post, the Chief Minister said the film was made with the intention of damaging Kerala’s communal harmony and social fabric. He described it as a false propaganda attempt aimed at defaming the state.
Vijayan praised the court’s intervention and congratulated the petitioners for moving the court at the right time. He also stated that under the guise of freedom of expression, insulting an entire state and creating division cannot be accepted in a democracy.
The fate of ‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ now depends entirely on the upcoming judgment. Will the stay be lifted? Or will the film remain off screens for now?
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