A plea before the Kerala High Court seeks cancellation of certification and stay on release of the movie The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond, alleging it promotes communal disharmony; Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued notice to CBFC and producer Sunshine Pictures.
KERALA: A petition has been filed with the Kerala High Court requesting the cancellation of film certification and a stay on the release of the upcoming movie The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond
The petitioner, Sreedev Namboodiri, a resident of Kannur, argues that the film unfairly depicts Kerala, inciting communal and regional disharmony, which could potentially lead to law and order issues.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas heard the matter today and issued notices to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and producer Sunshine Pictures, asking them to submit their responses.
ALSO READ: “The Kerala Story” Movie on Doordarshan Channel || Kerala HC Declines to Delay the Airing
The Kerala Story 2 is the sequel to the controversial Hindi film The Kerala Story, which portrayed a group of women from Kerala allegedly recruited by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
In his petition, Namboodiri challenges the certification awarded to the sequel, alleging that the CBFC did not properly evaluate the film’s potential impact on public order, decency, and morality as mandated by Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act of 1952.
The petition states,
“The petitioner apprehends that the upcoming movie will also create a law and order situation, as the teaser ends with the message ‘ab sahenge nahin… ladenge,’ which translates to ‘we will not tolerate it anymore, but will fight.’ This directly calls for action, potentially inciting violence among the public. The trailer, released on 17.02.2026, again attempts to provoke public sentiment in various aspects,”
According to the plea, specific dialogues and themes in the promotional material could incite communal tensions.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Updates: Election Petition Against Congress MLA K Babu and Controversy Over ‘The Kerala Story’ Movie
The petition further asserts that while the teaser and trailer depict women from multiple states, they label the narrative as The Kerala Story, creating a misleading regional association that ties terrorism and forced conversions specifically to Kerala.
This framing undermines the dignity and reputation of Keralites (citizens of Kerala), potentially infringing upon their constitutional rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, and violating the reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
The petitioner seeks the quashing of the film’s certification, a suspension of its release pending the consideration of his revision petition, or directions for modifications to the film, including a reconsideration of its title and the addition of adequate disclaimers to prevent regional vilification.
The case is scheduled for the next hearing on February 24 (Tuesday).
The petition has been filed by advocates Maitreyi Sachchidananda Hegde, Rizla KM, and Deepika K Sasi.
Case Title: Sreedev Namboodiri v. Union of India & ors.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
