Just hours before it was due to hit theatres, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond found itself caught in a high-stakes legal freeze in Kerala, with the High Court stepping in and the producers scrambling for immediate relief. On Thursday, an urgent appeal led to a rare special evening sitting, as the makers sought to lift a 15-day stay on the film’s release.
The case has quickly turned into a crucial test of process and jurisdiction, with the Division Bench openly questioning how the matter moved as fast as it did earlier in the day.
Latest Update: Division Bench Hears Producers’ Appeal And Reserves Order
Earlier on Thursday at around 2.30 pm, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas passed an interim order staying the release of The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond for 15 days. The order also directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to consider revision petitions filed by objectors within two weeks. In the interim order, the court observed that there appeared to be a prima facie lack of application of mind by the CBFC while granting certification.
With the film scheduled to release on Friday, including overseas markets, the producers moved the High Court urgently, triggering a Division Bench hearing at 7.30 pm. The Bench of Justices S A Dharmadhikari and P V Balakrishnan heard arguments for nearly two hours and reserved its verdict.
During the hearing, the Division Bench raised concerns over whether the single judge had jurisdiction to hear the matter. The Bench also remarked that an order passed outside jurisdiction would be automatically nullified. Justice Dharmadhikari additionally noted that the proceedings appeared to have been conducted in haste, observing that nobody had time to apply their mind.
Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for the producers, argued that the single judge’s order did not clearly explain how the CBFC’s certification was “manifestly arbitrary,” and maintained that the court should not substitute its view for that of an expert body that had examined the film. He also argued that portraying a social evil within a section of society does not amount to denigrating an entire State or religion.
Kaul highlighted the release’s commercial scale, stating that the film was planned for over 1,500 theatres in India and hundreds overseas, while also flagging piracy risk if the release was delayed.
On the other side, petitioners contended that the sequel misrepresents Kerala and could incite communal disharmony. They objected to elements in the teaser, including its closing line, and raised concerns about the use of “Kerala” in the title, arguing it unfairly links the State with terrorism and forced conversions.
About The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond
The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures and is positioned as a follow-up to The Kerala Story (2023). The sequel’s central pitch, as argued in court, is that the suffix “Goes Beyond” signals a narrative not limited to Kerala.
For now, the film’s immediate fate hinges on the Division Bench’s reserved order, even as the 15-day stay continues to hold the release.
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