The Kerala Story 2 director Kamakhya Narayan Singh recently reacted to the Central Board of Film Certification granting a U/A certificate to the film. While speaking exclusively to India Today, the director expressed gratitude for the certification, saying the approved cuts paved the way for a wider audience to watch the film.
Emphasising that the rating would allow young girls and families to view it in theatres, he encouraged parents and youngsters to come and watch the film together. “We have received cuts and got the certificate. It’s a U/A certificate, and I am thankful for the board that they gave this rating so that young sisters and daughters can go to the cinema halls and watch the film. The youngsters and the parents should go and watch the film,” he said.
Given the controversy surrounding the film, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the film, describing it as “poisonous propaganda.” He claimed that The Kerala Story 2 could undermine Kerala’s tradition of religious harmony, which he described as fundamental to the state’s identity.
Responding to critics who have dismissed The Kerala Story 2 as exaggerated or misleading, the director defended the film’s premise and urged detractors to examine documented cases before forming opinions.
“Apni aankhon ko aap band kar lenge toh sachai nahi badal jayega. Aap ja ke court ke judgments padhiye, newspapers padhiye, aapko har din koi aisi news sunne ko mil jayega. Ja ke koshish kijiye, victims ko miliye — aapko samajh ayega ki kitna gravitas hai isme. (Closing your eyes will not change the truth. Go and read court judgments, read newspapers, and you will come across such reports almost every day. Try meeting the victims, and you will understand the seriousness and gravitas of the issue),” he said.
The Kerala Story 2 features Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha in the lead roles. The trailer depicts the lives of the characters they play spiralling into a nightmare after they fall in love with Muslim men. The film has been granted U/A certification by the CBFC.
In his statement shared on Facebook, the Chief Minister questioned why “poisonous works produced to spread division and hatred in society” were permitted public screening, especially when films like Beef (Spanish film) have been barred from festivals just because of the title.
The Kerala Story, the first film in the series, featured Adah Sharma, Sonia Balani, Yogita Bihani, and Siddhi Idnani. Despite several controversies, Sudipto Sen won a National Film Award as Best Director for the film, while Prasantanu Mohapatra won the honour for Best Cinematography.
The Kerala Story 2 is scheduled for release in theatres on February 27.
