Director Kamakhya Narayan Singh and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s The Kerala Story 2 was released in theatres in February and left audiences divided. Leader of the opposition and member of the Indian National Congress, Rahul Gandhi, remarked that ‘nobody is really watching’ the film. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari’s wife defended the film, calling it a ‘mirror to society’.
Rahul Gandhi on The Kerala Story 2
The official X (formerly Twitter) of Congress posted on behalf of Rahul. It reads, “Nobody is really watching The Kerala Story. It shows that the majority of people in this country understand what Kerala is and appreciate its traditions and culture.”
The note also claims, “Movies, TV, and the media have been weaponised. They are being used precisely to vilify people, to alienate communities, and to create divisions in society so that certain groups can benefit while others are harmed.”
“If a person wants to make a certain type of film, say something in the media, or defend particular ideas, they are attacked and often not allowed to speak. I experience this all the time,” further reads the note, adding, “On the other hand, certain narratives can be spread and propagated as much as people want, and nothing happens to them.”
BJP MP’s wife defends The Kerala Story 2
Amid criticism for The Kerala Story 2, Surbhi Tiwari, wife of BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, told ANI, “Kuch to log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna (People will say various things). But I just want to tell people not to sit at home and talk about it. Come to the theatres, watch the movie, then read documents and cases, and watch the news. You will understand then if it is propaganda or a mirror to society.”
She also added, “Whatever I say about the film might not do justice to it. This is not just a film, it’s a mirror to society. We all need to reflect on where we are as a society and ensure no Hindu girl goes through what the girls went through in this film.”
The Kerala Story 2 is a sequel to Sudipto Sen’s 2023 film The Kerala Story. It stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha as three women who become victims of an abusive plot after marrying outside their religion. The film ran into trouble after a petition was filed at the Kerala High Court seeking a stay on its release. A bench lifted a single judge’s interim stay and cleared it for release.
