Two theatres in Kochi city have cancelled the screening of the controversial film The Kerala Story which will be released in cinema halls today. Although PVR Cinemas in Lulu Mall and Oberon Mall, and Cinepolis in Centre Square Mall have cancelled the screening, no reasons were stated for the decision. There is only one theatre ‘Shenoys’ remaining in Kochi city which is set to screen the movie from 10.00 am. Earlier, theatres reached an agreement with distributors to screen the film on 50 screens in Kerala, but many backed out just before the release. The Kerala Story: Plea Filed in Kerala HC to Seeking Stay on Release of Adah Sharma’s Film.
Later, the film agreed to screen on only 17 screens. However, as of now, it is not clear how many theatres will be screening the film. In the meantime, there are only three theatres which are going to screen this movie in Ernakulam district. Shenoys in Kochi city, Carnival Cinemas in Kariyad and Dharshana Cinema Complex in Piravom will be screening ‘The Kerala Story’. The show’s cancellation comes amid protests against the movie for allegedly propagating a false narrative of Islamic conversion.
Helmed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film has triggered a massive political row with various leaders reacting to the movie releasing today. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, recently said in a statement that the movie was deliberately made with the aim of communal polarisation and to spread hate propaganda against Kerala. The statement reads, “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. The Kerala Story: Makers of Adah Sharma’s Film Change Trailer Description From ‘32,000 Women’ to Three Women; Twitterati Reacts!
It is indicated from the trailer that this film is trying to spread the propaganda of Sangh Parivar, which has established itself as the centre of religious extremism in the land of secularism, Kerala.” Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday tweeted, “It may be *your* Kerala story. It is not *our* Kerala story.”
‘The Kerala Story’ stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani and Sonia Balani in the lead roles.
The trailer of Sen’s film The Kerala Story came under fire as it claimed that 32,000 girls from the state went missing and later joined the terrorist group, ISIS. Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly VD Satheesan recently said that the film The Kerala Story should not be granted permission for screening. “The film ‘The Kerala Story’ which falsely claims that 32,000 women in Kerala converted and became members of the Islamic State, should not be granted permission for screening.”
“The trailer clearly shows what the film intends to say”, Satheesan said in a Facebook post. He also alleged that the film is part of an attempt to implement Sangh Parivar’s agenda and create a social divide by casting a shadow of doubt over the minority groups. “This is not an issue of freedom of expression but part of an attempt to implement the Sangh Parivar agenda to create a divide in the society by casting a shadow of doubt over the minority groups”, he said.