The controversy surrounding The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond has reached the Kerala High Court, with a petition seeking judicial intervention over the film’s trailer and its portrayal of the state. The court is scheduled to hear the matter on February 24.
The petition has been filed by Sreedev Namboodiri, a biologist, who has raised serious objections, alleging that the trailer depicts Kerala in an extremely negative light and could have wider social consequences. Acting on the plea, the Kerala High Court has issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Central Board of Film Certification, and the film’s producer.
In his petition, Namboodiri states that the teaser “shocked his conscience” by portraying Kerala in a manner that could harm the state’s reputation. He argues that the content has the potential to stigmatise an entire region and misrepresent its social fabric.
The petitioner further claims that the trailer narrates the stories of three women from Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan who allegedly fall into the trap of terrorist groups that “weaponise romance” to convert unmarried women and alter the country’s demographic composition. According to the plea, statements made directly to the camera by the characters in the teaser could have the potential to create a law-and-order situation.
Namboodiri has also objected to the film’s title, contending that it unfairly associates the alleged incidents exclusively with Kerala. He argues that while the trailer itself references stories from other states, branding the film as The Kerala Story falsely suggests that such incidents originated in Kerala and later spread elsewhere.
The petition warns that the trailer and title together “have the potential to stigmatise an entire regional population, disturb public order, and incite communal and regional disharmony.”
The plea seeks a stay on the release and public exhibition of The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond, which is scheduled to hit theatres on February 27, 2026. Alternatively, it urges the Central Government to consider and decide on a revision petition within a time frame fixed by the court and to stay the film’s release until such a decision is taken.
The matter will now come up for hearing before the Kerala High Court on February 24.
