Kerala HC issues notice over certification of ‘Kerala Story 2’

The Kerala High Court on Thursday issued notice to the producers of the Hindi feature film "Kerala Story 2 - Goes Beyond", on a writ petition challenging the certification granted to the movie by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

The court issued the notice while considering the plea, which raises objections to the teaser and trailer of the film.

According to the petitioner, the promotional material depicts women from multiple states being lured into relationships and coerced into religious conversion, but despite the storyline allegedly spanning several states, the film’s title associates incidents of terrorism, forced conversion and demographic conspiracy exclusively with Kerala.

The petition also flags the concluding Hindi slogan in the teaser "Ab sahenge nahin… ladenge (We will not tolerate it anymore… we will fight)", arguing that it amounts to a call for retaliatory action and carries the potential to incite communal tension.

It was alleged that the CBFC failed to properly apply the statutory safeguards under Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, which bars certification of films against public order, decency or morality, or those likely to incite the commission of an offence.

The plea further refers to litigation surrounding the first episode of "The Kerala Story" in 2023 before the Supreme Court, where the producers had agreed to add a disclaimer clarifying that certain figures cited in the film lacked authentic data and that the narrative was fictionalised.

The petitioner argues that despite earlier judicial scrutiny, the sequel was certified without adequate examination of its potential impact on communal harmony and regional dignity.

While acknowledging that freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) is protected, the plea stresses that it is subject to reasonable restrictions in the interests of public order.

Invoking Sections 196 and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the petition contends that the content may promote disharmony between religious or regional groups.

The petitioner has sought quashing of the certification, reconsideration of the title and disclaimers, and suspension of the film’s release pending further review.

The matter was posted for further consideration on Tuesday.