Kochi, February 19 – The Kerala High Court issued a notice to the producers of the Hindi feature film "Kerala Story 2 - Goes Beyond" on Thursday in response to a writ petition challenging the certification granted to the film by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The court issued the notice while considering the petition, which raises objections to the film's teaser and trailer.
According to the petitioner, the promotional material depicts women from multiple states being lured into relationships and coerced into religious conversion, but despite the storyline allegedly spanning several states, the film's title exclusively associates incidents of terrorism, forced conversion, and demographic conspiracy with Kerala.
The petition also points out the concluding Hindi slogan in the teaser, "Ab sahenge nahin… ladenge (We will not tolerate it anymore… we will fight)", arguing that it constitutes a call for retaliatory action and has the potential to incite communal tension.
It was alleged that the CBFC failed to properly apply the statutory safeguards under Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, which prohibits the certification of films that violate public order, decency, or morality, or that are likely to incite the commission of an offense.
The petition also refers to the litigation surrounding the first episode of "The Kerala Story" in 2023 before the Supreme Court, where the producers had agreed to add a disclaimer clarifying that certain figures cited in the film lacked authentic data and that the narrative was fictionalized.
The petitioner argues that despite earlier judicial scrutiny, the sequel was certified without adequate examination of its potential impact on communal harmony and regional dignity.
While acknowledging that freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) is protected, the petition stresses that it is subject to reasonable restrictions in the interests of public order.
Invoking Sections 196 and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the petition contends that the content may promote disharmony between religious or regional groups.
The petitioner has sought to quash the certification, reconsider the title and disclaimers, and suspend the film's release pending further review.
The matter has been posted for further consideration on Tuesday.