Just a day before it was due to hit screens, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond ran into a legal roadblock that forced the makers to hit pause. On February 26, 2026, the Kerala High Court intervened hours ahead of the film’s planned February 27 premiere, placing an interim stay that effectively stopped the release in the state for the time being and pushed the controversy around the sequel into the courtroom spotlight.
The development lands at a crucial moment for the team behind the film, which had already been facing a surge of political and public debate since the teaser and trailer dropped.
Latest Update: Kerala High Court Grants Interim Stay On Release
On February 26, the Kerala High Court granted an interim stay on the release of The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond for about two weeks, a move that came on the eve of the scheduled February 27 theatrical release. The case stems from petitions challenging the film’s certification and raising concerns about the film’s promotional material and the possible impact on communal harmony in Kerala.
In earlier proceedings, the court also directed the makers to refrain from releasing the film’s rights until the court passed further orders. During the hearing, the bench observed that the concerns raised by petitioners appeared “probably genuine,” and asked the producers to wait for the matter to be decided before moving forward.
Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, in a sworn affidavit filed before the High Court, defended the certification and questioned the maintainability of the petitions. He asserted that the Central Board of Film Certification is the expert statutory authority under the Cinematograph Act, and argued that a situation where any group can effectively block a certified film by threatening disorder would hollow out both the certification process and free expression protections.
The matter has remained under the court’s consideration as hearings continue.
What The Film Is: Cast, Makers, And The Premise
The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is directed by National Award winner Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures, with Aashin A. Shah and Ravichand Nallappa also credited as producers. The film stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha in leading roles.
Positioned as a follow-up to The Kerala Story, the sequel expands the narrative across multiple Indian states. The film’s premise, as reflected in its trailer, follows three young women whose relationships take a dark turn amid themes of religious conversion and coercion.
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