The Kerala Story 2 A sequel igniting fresh flames of controversy

In the ever-polarized landscape of Indian cinema, few films have stirred as much debate as The Kerala Story (2023), a movie that purported to expose the alleged phenomenon of "love jihad" and forced religious conversions in Kerala. Now, its sequel, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, slated for release on February 27, 2026, has reignited the firestorm even before hitting theatres. 

Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film expands the narrative beyond Kerala, claiming to depict real-life cases of grooming, coercion and conversion across multiple states. However, critics argue it's nothing more than a thinly veiled propaganda piece designed to defame Muslims, tarnish Kerala's image of communal harmony, and stoke communal tensions ahead of elections. The trailer, released earlier this week, has amassed millions of views but also drawn sharp rebukes from politicians, religious leaders, and activists, leading to legal battles and calls for bans.

The original The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen, claimed that 32,000 women from Kerala had been converted to Islam and recruited by ISIS—a figure later debunked and revised to just three in court filings by the filmmakers themselves. Building on this foundation, The Kerala Story 2 promises to "go beyond" the first film's scope, focusing on the "plight of girls trapped in cases of forced conversion" not just in Kerala but across India. 

The trailer features dramatic scenes of young women being groomed, coerced into interfaith relationships, and subjected to atrocities, including a particularly inflammatory sequence where a Hindu woman is allegedly forced to eat beef—a act seen as sacrilegious by many Hindus. The sequel's release has been met with vehement opposition from Kerala's political leadership, who view it as an assault on the state's secular fabric. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was among the first to condemn it. In a Facebook post, he described the film as "false propaganda" and "poisonous," questioning why "works produced to spread division and hatred in society" are allowed public screening. He accused the makers of spreading "lies, hatred, and anti-Kerala propaganda," emphasizing that Kerala prides itself on communal harmony. Vijayan's stance echoes his criticism of the first film, which he called a "hate campaign" misrepresenting the state.

Opposition leaders from the Congress party have been equally vocal. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticized the film in a video statement, saying it is "being used to spread propaganda rather than focusing on artistic storytelling." He called the first film "hatemongering" and urged viewers to critically assess the content, warning that the sequel would "spread hatred in people's minds." Congress leader K.C. Venugopal accused the film of distorting facts and insulting Kerala's secularism, questioning where filmmakers should draw the line between creative liberty and cultural responsibility.

In contrast, BJP leaders defended the film's right to exist, highlighting hypocrisy among free speech advocates who now demand a ban based on a mere three-minute trailer. They pointed out that the issue of "Love Jihad" – a term for alleged coerced conversions through romantic deception – has been debated in Kerala since 2009, first raised not by BJP or RSS but by the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC), which claimed over 4,000 Catholic girls were targeted. They cited endorsements from other groups like the SNDP and even a 2010 statement from then-Communist Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan warning of efforts to alter Kerala's demographic fabric through such tactics.

In an interview with a news channel, director Kamakya Singh robustly defended the film, urging the Chief Minister to "accept the truth" and verify the facts. Singh emphasized that similar cases of what he described as a "conspiracy against the country" are occurring nationwide, and as a filmmaker, his duty is to sensitize society through truthful storytelling. 

Adding fuel to the fire, a petition has been filed in the Kerala High Court seeking the revocation of the film's certification and a stay on its release. The plea argues that the movie misrepresents the state and could incite division. Notices have been issued to the filmmakers and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), with the court's decision poised to determine the film's fate.

As the High Court deliberates, the controversy underscores the intersection of cinema, politics, and society in Kerala. With elections looming, The Kerala Story 2 has become a flashpoint, testing the boundaries between artistic liberty, truth-telling, and political opportunism. The verdict could set precedents for how films addressing communal themes are handled in India's diverse landscape.