PremiumThe Kerala Story: Tamil Nadu theatres to screen the controversial Adah Sharma film again?
The Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide adequate security to theatres in the state
Last Updated: 07.47 PM, May 18, 2023
The Supreme Court today stayed the ban on the screening of The Kerala Story in West Bengal and directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide adequate security to viewers in Tamil Nadu. A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that all security arrangements are made.
The bench also stated it was the duty of the state government to maintain law and order once a film has been granted certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The producers of the film will now have to add additional disclaimers that state that the film is fictional and that there is no authentic data to back up the said number of converted people at 32,000 or any other figure.
The Sudipto Sen directorial has been facing severe backlash ever since its trailer claimed that 32,000 women from Kerala had joined the terrorist organisation The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The film kicked up a storm as it was believed to portray Kerala as a breeding ground for terrorists. The film released in four languages on May 5 — Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu.
Two days after the release of the film, the Tamil Nadu Multiplex Association announced that there would be no more shows for the film in the state. The association cited lack of reception from the public and potential law and order issues as the reason. The West Bengal government, on the other hand, banned the film citing law and order reasons.
The controversial film features Adah Sharma as Fathima Ba aka Shalini Unnikrishnan, an aspiring nurse, who is converted to Islam and made to join the IS. The star cast also includes Siddhi Idnani, Yogita Bihani and Sonia Balani. The film is produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.
Earlier, the makers had tweaked the trailer to 'story of three young women from Kerala', instead of 32,000.