The Kerala Story: Difference between revisions

The Kerala Story
The Kerala Story
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sudipto Sen
Produced by	Vipul Amrutlal Shah
Written by	Suryapal Singh; Sudipto Sen; Vipul Amrutlal Shah;
Starring	Adah Sharma; Yogita Bihani; Sonia Balani; Siddhi Idnani;
Music by	Viresh Sreevalsa; Bishakh Jyoti;
Cinematography	Prasantanu Mohapatra
Edited by	Sanjay Sharma
Production; company	Sunshine Pictures
Release date	5 May 2023;
Running time	138 minutes
Country	India
Language	Hindi
Budget	₹15–20 crore
Box office	est. ₹303.97 crore

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Revision as of 22:28, 17 August 2023

The Kerala Story is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.^[1] It stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. The plot follows a group of women from Kerala who are coerced into converting to Islam and joining the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).^[5]^[6] Marketed as a true story, the film is premised on the Hindutva conspiracy theory of "love jihad",^[7] and falsely claims that thousands of Hindu women from Kerala have been converted to Islam and recruited in ISIS.^[8]^[9]

The Kerala Story was released in theatres on 5 May 2023. With a worldwide gross of ₹303.97 crore (US$43 million), it became the third-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023.^[10] It was heavily promoted by the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leveraged the film in its campaigning for the Karnataka assembly election.^[11]^[12] However, film critics accorded it overwhelmingly negative reviews, characterizing the work as Islamophobic propaganda.^[13]^[14]^[6] The film has also faced protracted litigation and protests, primarily in Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Plot

Shalini Unnikrishnan, a woman who converted to Islam, shares her journey of aspiring to become a nurse, only to be coerced by extremist Muslims in her college who posed as friends. She was eventually manipulated into joining the ISIS and ended up imprisoned in Afghanistan.

Cast

Adah Sharma as Shalini Unnikrishnan / Fatima Ba
Yogita Bihani as Nimah
Sonia Balani as Asifa
Siddhi Idnani as Geetanjali
Devadarshini as Shalini's mother
Vijay Krishna as Ishak
Pranay Pachauri as Rameez
Pranav Misshra as Abdul
Pranali Ghogare as Shaziya

Production and release

The film was produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who is also the creative director of the film.^[1] It was released in theatres on 5 May 2023.^[15] The digital streaming rights of the film was purchased by ZEE5.^[16] Prior to its domestic release, the film went through CBFC scrutiny and received an adults only classification following a number of requested changes.^[17]

Premise and factual accuracy

The teaser released on 3 November 2022,^[18] featuring the character of Fathima Ba, a Hindu Malayali nurse who had converted to Islam and joined the ISIS, before ending up in an Afghan jail.^[19] She claimed to be one of 32,000 girls from the Hindu and Christian communities, who are missing from Kerala and have been recruited into the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) after being converted to Islam.^[8] Sen, the director of the film, has made such claims for years.^[19]^[8] In 2018, he had directed a documentary on what he claimed to be the involuntary mass-conversion of 32,000 Hindu and Christian girls to Islam as part of an "international conspiracy" to render Kerala an Islamic state.^[20]^[21]^[22]

While the events portrayed in the film are loosely based on the accounts of three women from Kerala, namely: Nimisha Nair, Sonia Sebastian, and Merin Jacob, who converted to Islam and traveled with their respective husbands to Afghanistan to join the ISIS between 2016 and 2018, the claimed figures in the film are wildly inaccurate, being based on mistranslations, misquotes, and misrepresentations of unrelated statistics.^[23]^[24]^[8] No more than 100-200 Indians have joined the group from the entire country, with people from Kerala accounting for less than a quarter of them.^[8] The figures posited in the film also exceed the entire strength of the ISIS.^[25]

Later, in response to litigation, the film-makers removed all promotional materials, including the teaser, that had the erroneous figure.^[26] However, the film repeated the claims multiple times and once raised it even higher to 50,000.^[27] In response to further litigation, Sen admitted to all figures in the film being inauthentic, and that the film was a "fictionalized" portrayal of real-life events.^[28]

Response

Promotion by ruling party

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its associated organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have supported the film; the party used it for their political messaging in the campaigning for Karnataka assembly elections.^[25]^[29] Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed the film at an election rally in Karnataka, claimed that it had unearthed a "conspiracy", and alleged the Indian National Congress — which opposed the film — to support terrorism.^[29]^[30] BJP President J. P. Nadda held special screenings of the film and invited "young [Hindu] girls" to watch it with them.^[29] The film was made tax free in Madhya Pradesh as well as Uttar Pradesh; both the states have BJP governments.^[31] Organiser, the official mouthpiece of RSS, described the film as a "dangerous truth".^[25]

Political opposition

In Kerala, both the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian National Congress, the only two parties to have governed the state since Independence, have objected to the film for spreading "communal misinformation" in tune with the agenda of the Sangh Parivar.^[19]^[32]^[33] In Tamil Nadu, protests were held by Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) and multiple Muslim political organizations.^[13]

Public protests

The film has attracted public protests in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.^[30]^[34] It fared poorly in Tamil Nadu, apparently forcing the Tamil Nadu Multiplex Association to stop further screenings; however, the filmmakers dispute the claims and allege political censorship.^[13] The film had a similar fate in Kerala.^[34]

Bans and litigation

On the eve of release, several petitions were filed at the Madras High Court, Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court of India, calling for a ban on grounds of promoting communal disharmony.^[35] The petitions were either declined to be heard or dismissed by the courts;^[36] however, the film-makers were asked to remove all promotional materials, including the teaser, that claimed thirty two thousand girls to have converted to Islam and joined ISIS in real life.^[26]

On 8 May, the Government of West Bengal banned the movie, characterizing the film as "hate speech", and citing adverse intelligence reports that had reported increased communal tensions in the audience.^[37] The filmmakers challenged the decision in the Supreme Court and the ban was stayed.^[38] However, the filmmakers had to accept the addition of two disclaimers — that the figures in the film were inauthentic, and that the film was a "fictionalized" portrayal of real-life events.^[28]

Reception

Critical reception

The film was critically panned. Template:Rotten Tomatoes prose

Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV rated the film 0.5 out of 5 stars, calling it a "lengthy WhatsApp forward", and writing that Sen's work was laughably inept and in pursuance of an insidious agenda.^[39] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 1 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as a "poorly-made, poorly-acted rant" that flattened Muslims into absolute evils.^[40] Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in found the raison d'être of the film to lie in propagating Islamophobia, with every Muslim character being coded as a fanatic.^[41] Anuj Kumar of The Hindu described the work as "burlesque" propaganda that borrowed its understanding of Islam, from "hate-filled Whatsapp groups" and sought to turn the audience into purveyors of hate by peddling "half-truths".^[42]

Deepanjana Pal, reviewing for Film Companion, commented that the film was a "Giant Whatsapp forward" that could be hardly called a film, critiquing it for being political propaganda aimed at demonizing Keralite Muslims and tapping into contemporary Hindu nationalist anxieties; Sen was "glaringly inept" in tackling the causes of radicalization with sensitivity and merely preyed upon the grief of real survivors and victims.^[43] Sowmya Rajendran, reviewing for The News Minute, rated the film 1 star out of 5 star; she panned the film as "no-nuance propaganda" where women were treated as objects who were to be fought for between religions and ideologies by men.^[27]^[44]^[45]^[46]^[47]^[48]

Box office

On its opening day, the film grossed ₹8.03 crore in India,^[49] making it the fifth highest opener in India for 2023.^[50] As of 15 June 2023^[update], the film has grossed ₹288.04 crore (US$40 million) in India and ₹15.64 crore (US$2.2 million) overseas for a worldwide gross collection of ₹303.97 crore (US$43 million), becoming the third-highest grossing Hindi film of 2023.^[51] The film performed well in northern India but underperformed in the south.^[34]

Music

The music of the film is composed by Viresh Sreevalsa and Bishakh Jyoti.

No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Pagal Parindey"	Ozil Dalal	Sunidhi Chauhan, Bishakh Jyoti	2:04
2.	"Ambo Ambambo"	Viresh Sreevalsa	Athul Narukara	1:52
3.	"Athira Ravil"	Viresh Sreevalsa	K. S. Chithra	2:07
4.	"Tu Mila"	Ozil Dalal	K. S. Chithra	2:07

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "'The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, gets release date". The Hindu. PTI. 24 April 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
↑ "Change City". m.inoxmovies.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
↑ "'Will rock box office': The Kerala Story destined to earn Rs 100 crore despite Bengal ban". Business Today (in हिन्दी). 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
↑ "The Kerala Story Box office collection". Bollywood Hungama. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
↑ "Dozens held in India after Islamic State film row". BBC News. 16 May 2023. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 "How a Low-Budget Hindi Film Ignited Deadly Religious Tension". Time. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
↑ "Kerala Story: Film on alleged Indian ISIL recruits gets pushback". Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 ^8.4 "'32000 Kerala women in ISIS': Misquotes, flawed math, imaginary figures behind filmmaker's claim". Alt News. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
↑ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (9 November 2022). "Indian police investigating film that portrays Kerala as Islamic terrorism hub". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
↑ "Bollywood Top Grossers Worldwide: 2023". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
↑ "'The Kerala Story' takes centre stage as other issues pushed to back-burner in Karnataka polls". English.Mathrubhumi. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
↑ "PM invokes 'The Kerala Story' to slam Congress in Karnataka rally". The Times of India. 6 May 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
↑ ^13.0 ^13.1 ^13.2 Bureau, The Hindu (7 May 2023). "The Kerala Story pulled out of multiplexes in Tamil Nadu". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023 – via www.thehindu.com. {{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
↑ "The Kerala Story: Why an Indian film on Islamic State is so controversial". BBC News. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
↑ "Controversial film The Kerala Story to be released on May 5, trailer out". The News Minute. 26 April 2023. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
↑ "The Kerala Story OTT Rights Bought By This Leading Platform, Tentative Release Date Out". English Jagran. 8 May 2023. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
↑ "Censor Board gives The Kerala Story 'A' certificate, removes 10 scenes, including interview with ex-CM". India Today. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
↑ "The Kerala Story teaser out". Cinema Express. 3 November 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
↑ ^19.0 ^19.1 ^19.2 "The Kerala Story: Film on India women in Islamic State sparks row". BBC News. 10 November 2022. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
↑ Athimuthu, Soundarya (12 November 2022). "Who Made 'The Kerala Story' & Why Were They Embroiled in Controversies Before?". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
↑ Sharma, Kritika (30 April 2018). "I was trying to bust 'love jihad' theory, says film-maker at centre of JNU screening row". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
↑ "Film not on 'love jihad', says director". The Times of India. 1 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
↑ "How accurate are the claims made by 'The Kerala Story'?". 2 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
↑ Khan, Fatima (9 September 2021). "Taliban back, desperate Kerala families hope couples who fled to Afghanistan for ISIS can return". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
↑ ^25.0 ^25.1 ^25.2 Jha, Prem Shankar (8 May 2023). "Modi's Backing of Inflammatory, Fictional 'Kerala Story' Highlights Pressing Need for Opposition Unity". The Wire. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
↑ ^26.0 ^26.1 "The Kerala Story producer agrees to remove '32,000 women converted' from teaser". India Today. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
↑ ^27.0 ^27.1 Rajendran, Sowmya (5 May 2023). "The Kerala Story review: A no-nuance propaganda film that thrives on shock value". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
↑ ^28.0 ^28.1 "Supreme Court stays West Bengal govt order banning film 'The Kerala Story'". The Indian Express. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
↑ ^29.0 ^29.1 ^29.2 "PM Modi to JP Nadda, BJP leaders promote The Kerala Story amid Karnataka polls". The News Minute. 8 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
↑ ^30.0 ^30.1 "As Producers Withdraw Misleading Claim, Modi Says 'Kerala Story' Exposes 'Ugly Truth' of Terrorism". The Wire. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
↑ "The Kerala Story: Dozens held in Maharashtra after Islamic State film row". BBC News. 16 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
↑ "'The Kerala Story' in the dock". Deccan Herald. 9 November 2022. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
↑ "Cong, DYFI, IUML youth wing demand ban on screening of 'The Kerala Story'". The Indian Express. 28 April 2023. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
↑ ^34.0 ^34.1 ^34.2 Sasikumar, Meenakshy (8 May 2023). "Why Is 'The Kerala Story' Facing Pushback in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, & West Bengal?". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
↑ ""There are umpteen movies depicting Hindu sanyasis as rapists": Kerala High Court refuses to stay release of The Kerala Story". 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
↑ "Kerala High Court refuses to stay screening of 'The Kerala Story'". The Indian Express. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
↑ Team, N. L. (17 May 2023). "'Contains hate speech, manipulated facts': Bengal govt defends ban on Kerala Story". Newslaundry. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
↑ "Supreme Court stays West Bengal govt order banning film 'The Kerala Story'". The Indian Express. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
↑ Chatterjee, Saibal (5 May 2023). "The Kerala Story Review: The Writing Is Consistently Cringeworthy, The Acting Is No Better". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
↑ Gupta, Shubhra (5 May 2023). "The Kerala Story movie review: A poorly-made, poorly-acted rant". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
↑ Ramnath, Nandini (5 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' review: All about Islamophobia". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
↑ Kumar, Anuj (5 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' movie review: Adah Sharma's performance marred by half-truths and an emotionally exploitative gaze". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
↑ Pal, Deepanjana (5 May 2023). "The Kerala Story Movie Review: If WhatsApp Forwards Could Be a Film, This Would Be It". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
↑ "The Kerala Story Movie Review: A serious issue lost to bad direction, worse writing". India Today. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
↑ Gahlot, Deepa. "The Kerala Story Review: Distorted". Rediff. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
↑ Mishra, Pratikshya (5 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' Review: Some Storytelling Is Irresponsible at Best". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
↑ "'The Kerala Story' review: A chalice filled with anti-Muslim venom". The Week. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
↑ Prateek Sur (12 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' Movie Review: Adah Sharma's Film Is A Fantastic Guide On What Not To Do When Someone's Brainwashing You". Outlook. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
↑ Tuteja, Joginder (6 May 2023). "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Box Office: Survives steep competition from Bollywood's The Kerala Story on Day 1". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
↑ Entertainment Desk (6 May 2023). "The Kerala Story box office collection Day 1: Sudipto Sen's film gets better opening than Selfiee, Shehzada, Kashmir Files; earns Rs 8.03 cr". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
↑ "The Kerala Story Box office collection". Bollywood Hungama. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.

External links

[:2-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "'The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, gets release date". The Hindu. PTI. 24 April 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.

[2] "Change City". m.inoxmovies.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.

[3] "'Will rock box office': The Kerala Story destined to earn Rs 100 crore despite Bengal ban". Business Today (in हिन्दी). 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.

[4] "The Kerala Story Box office collection". Bollywood Hungama. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.

[5] "Dozens held in India after Islamic State film row". BBC News. 16 May 2023. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.

[:12-6] 6.0 ^6.1 "How a Low-Budget Hindi Film Ignited Deadly Religious Tension". Time. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[AljKS-7] "Kerala Story: Film on alleged Indian ISIL recruits gets pushback". Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.

[:0-8] 8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 ^8.4 "'32000 Kerala women in ISIS': Misquotes, flawed math, imaginary figures behind filmmaker's claim". Alt News. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.

[:3-9] Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (9 November 2022). "Indian police investigating film that portrays Kerala as Islamic terrorism hub". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2023.

[10] "Bollywood Top Grossers Worldwide: 2023". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.

[11] "'The Kerala Story' takes centre stage as other issues pushed to back-burner in Karnataka polls". English.Mathrubhumi. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[12] "PM invokes 'The Kerala Story' to slam Congress in Karnataka rally". The Times of India. 6 May 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[:8-13] 13.0 ^13.1 ^13.2 Bureau, The Hindu (7 May 2023). "The Kerala Story pulled out of multiplexes in Tamil Nadu". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023 – via www.thehindu.com. {{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)

[14] "The Kerala Story: Why an Indian film on Islamic State is so controversial". BBC News. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[15] "Controversial film The Kerala Story to be released on May 5, trailer out". The News Minute. 26 April 2023. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.

[16] "The Kerala Story OTT Rights Bought By This Leading Platform, Tentative Release Date Out". English Jagran. 8 May 2023. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.

[17] "Censor Board gives The Kerala Story 'A' certificate, removes 10 scenes, including interview with ex-CM". India Today. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.

[18] "The Kerala Story teaser out". Cinema Express. 3 November 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.

[:1-19] 19.0 ^19.1 ^19.2 "The Kerala Story: Film on India women in Islamic State sparks row". BBC News. 10 November 2022. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.

[20] Athimuthu, Soundarya (12 November 2022). "Who Made 'The Kerala Story' & Why Were They Embroiled in Controversies Before?". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

[21] Sharma, Kritika (30 April 2018). "I was trying to bust 'love jihad' theory, says film-maker at centre of JNU screening row". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

[22] "Film not on 'love jihad', says director". The Times of India. 1 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

[23] "How accurate are the claims made by 'The Kerala Story'?". 2 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

[24] Khan, Fatima (9 September 2021). "Taliban back, desperate Kerala families hope couples who fled to Afghanistan for ISIS can return". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.

[:7-25] 25.0 ^25.1 ^25.2 Jha, Prem Shankar (8 May 2023). "Modi's Backing of Inflammatory, Fictional 'Kerala Story' Highlights Pressing Need for Opposition Unity". The Wire. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.

[:10-26] 26.0 ^26.1 "The Kerala Story producer agrees to remove '32,000 women converted' from teaser". India Today. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

[Rajendran-27] 27.0 ^27.1 Rajendran, Sowmya (5 May 2023). "The Kerala Story review: A no-nuance propaganda film that thrives on shock value". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

[:11-28] 28.0 ^28.1 "Supreme Court stays West Bengal govt order banning film 'The Kerala Story'". The Indian Express. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[:5-29] 29.0 ^29.1 ^29.2 "PM Modi to JP Nadda, BJP leaders promote The Kerala Story amid Karnataka polls". The News Minute. 8 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.

[:9-30] 30.0 ^30.1 "As Producers Withdraw Misleading Claim, Modi Says 'Kerala Story' Exposes 'Ugly Truth' of Terrorism". The Wire. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.

[31] "The Kerala Story: Dozens held in Maharashtra after Islamic State film row". BBC News. 16 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[32] "'The Kerala Story' in the dock". Deccan Herald. 9 November 2022. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.

[33] "Cong, DYFI, IUML youth wing demand ban on screening of 'The Kerala Story'". The Indian Express. 28 April 2023. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.

[TheQuint-34] 34.0 ^34.1 ^34.2 Sasikumar, Meenakshy (8 May 2023). "Why Is 'The Kerala Story' Facing Pushback in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, & West Bengal?". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

[:4-35] ""There are umpteen movies depicting Hindu sanyasis as rapists": Kerala High Court refuses to stay release of The Kerala Story". 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.

[36] "Kerala High Court refuses to stay screening of 'The Kerala Story'". The Indian Express. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.

[37] Team, N. L. (17 May 2023). "'Contains hate speech, manipulated facts': Bengal govt defends ban on Kerala Story". Newslaundry. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

[38] "Supreme Court stays West Bengal govt order banning film 'The Kerala Story'". The Indian Express. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.

[39] Chatterjee, Saibal (5 May 2023). "The Kerala Story Review: The Writing Is Consistently Cringeworthy, The Acting Is No Better". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.

[40] Gupta, Shubhra (5 May 2023). "The Kerala Story movie review: A poorly-made, poorly-acted rant". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.

[41] Ramnath, Nandini (5 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' review: All about Islamophobia". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

[42] Kumar, Anuj (5 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' movie review: Adah Sharma's performance marred by half-truths and an emotionally exploitative gaze". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.

[43] Pal, Deepanjana (5 May 2023). "The Kerala Story Movie Review: If WhatsApp Forwards Could Be a Film, This Would Be It". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.

[44] "The Kerala Story Movie Review: A serious issue lost to bad direction, worse writing". India Today. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.

[45] Gahlot, Deepa. "The Kerala Story Review: Distorted". Rediff. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.

[46] Mishra, Pratikshya (5 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' Review: Some Storytelling Is Irresponsible at Best". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.

[47] "'The Kerala Story' review: A chalice filled with anti-Muslim venom". The Week. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.

[48] Prateek Sur (12 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' Movie Review: Adah Sharma's Film Is A Fantastic Guide On What Not To Do When Someone's Brainwashing You". Outlook. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.

[49] Tuteja, Joginder (6 May 2023). "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Box Office: Survives steep competition from Bollywood's The Kerala Story on Day 1". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.

[50] Entertainment Desk (6 May 2023). "The Kerala Story box office collection Day 1: Sudipto Sen's film gets better opening than Selfiee, Shehzada, Kashmir Files; earns Rs 8.03 cr". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.

[51] "The Kerala Story Box office collection". Bollywood Hungama. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.

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 | country        = India
 | language       = [[Hindi]]
-| budget         = {{INR}}15–20 [[crore]]<ref>{{Cite web |title='Will rock box office': The Kerala Story destined to earn Rs 100 crore despite Bengal ban |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/trending/box-office/story/will-rock-box-office-the-kerala-story-destined-to-earn-rs-100-crore-despite-bengal-ban-380742-2023-05-10 |access-date=11 May 2023 |website=Business Today |date=10 May 2023 |language=hi}}</ref>
+| budget         = {{INR}}15–20 [[crore]]<ref>{{Cite web |title='Will rock box office': The Kerala Story destined to earn Rs 100 crore despite Bengal ban |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/trending/box-office/story/will-rock-box-office-the-kerala-story-destined-to-earn-rs-100-crore-despite-bengal-ban-380742-2023-05-10 |access-date=11 May 2023 |website=Business Today |date=10 May 2023 |language=hi |archive-date=10 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510114754/https://www.businesstoday.in/trending/box-office/story/will-rock-box-office-the-kerala-story-destined-to-earn-rs-100-crore-despite-bengal-ban-380742-2023-05-10 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-| gross          = {{estimation}} {{INR|303.97}} crore<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/the-kerala-story/box-office/|title=The Kerala Story Box office collection|access-date=13 June 2023|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=5 May 2023 }}</ref>
+| gross          = {{estimation}} {{INR|303.97}} crore<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/the-kerala-story/box-office/|title=The Kerala Story Box office collection|access-date=13 June 2023|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=5 May 2023|archive-date=7 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507104414/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/the-kerala-story/box-office/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 }}
-'''''The Kerala Story''''' is a 2023 Indian [[Hindi]]-language [[drama film]] directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by [[Vipul Amrutlal Shah]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last= |date=24 April 2023 |title='The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, gets release date |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |agency=[[Press Trust of India|PTI]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-kerala-story-starring-adah-sharma-gets-release-date/article66772994.ece |access-date=26 April 2023 |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426101932/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-kerala-story-starring-adah-sharma-gets-release-date/article66772994.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> It stars [[Adah Sharma]], [[Yogita Bihani]], [[Sonia Balani]], and [[Siddhi Idnani]]. The plot follows a group of women from [[Kerala]] who are coerced into converting to Islam and joining the [[Islamic State|Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]] (ISIS).<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2023 |title=Dozens held in India after Islamic State film row |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65606602 |access-date=22 May 2023 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":12" /> Marketed as a true story, the film is premised on the [[Hindutva]] [[conspiracy theory]] of "[[Love jihad conspiracy theory|love jihad]]",<ref name="AljKS">{{cite news |title=Kerala Story: Film on alleged Indian ISIL recruits gets pushback |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/4/kerala-story-film-on-alleged-indian-isil-recruits-gets-pushback |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506192343/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/4/kerala-story-film-on-alleged-indian-isil-recruits-gets-pushback |archive-date=6 May 2023}}</ref> and falsely claims that thousands of Hindu women from Kerala have been converted to Islam and recruited in ISIS.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=8 November 2022 |title='32000 Kerala women in ISIS': Misquotes, flawed math, imaginary figures behind filmmaker's claim |url=https://www.altnews.in/32000-kerala-women-in-isis-misquotes-flawed-math-imaginary-figures-behind-filmmakers-claim/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203221700/https://www.altnews.in/32000-kerala-women-in-isis-misquotes-flawed-math-imaginary-figures-behind-filmmakers-claim/ |archive-date=3 December 2022 |access-date=2 December 2022 |website=Alt News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Ellis-Petersen |first=Hannah |date=9 November 2022 |title=Indian police investigating film that portrays Kerala as Islamic terrorism hub |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/09/india-police-investigating-film-portrays-kerala-islamic-terrorism-hub |url-status=live |access-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202124302/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/09/india-police-investigating-film-portrays-kerala-islamic-terrorism-hub |archive-date=2 December 2022 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
+'''''The Kerala Story''''' is a 2023 Indian [[Hindi]]-language [[drama film]] directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by [[Vipul Amrutlal Shah]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last= |date=24 April 2023 |title='The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, gets release date |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |agency=[[Press Trust of India|PTI]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-kerala-story-starring-adah-sharma-gets-release-date/article66772994.ece |access-date=26 April 2023 |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426101932/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-kerala-story-starring-adah-sharma-gets-release-date/article66772994.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> It stars [[Adah Sharma]], [[Yogita Bihani]], [[Sonia Balani]], and [[Siddhi Idnani]]. The plot follows a group of women from [[Kerala]] who are coerced into converting to Islam and joining the [[Islamic State|Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]] (ISIS).<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2023 |title=Dozens held in India after Islamic State film row |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65606602 |access-date=22 May 2023 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=21 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521061734/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65606602 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":12" /> Marketed as a true story, the film is premised on the [[Hindutva]] [[conspiracy theory]] of "[[Love jihad conspiracy theory|love jihad]]",<ref name="AljKS">{{cite news |title=Kerala Story: Film on alleged Indian ISIL recruits gets pushback |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/4/kerala-story-film-on-alleged-indian-isil-recruits-gets-pushback |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506192343/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/4/kerala-story-film-on-alleged-indian-isil-recruits-gets-pushback |archive-date=6 May 2023}}</ref> and falsely claims that thousands of Hindu women from Kerala have been converted to Islam and recruited in ISIS.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=8 November 2022 |title='32000 Kerala women in ISIS': Misquotes, flawed math, imaginary figures behind filmmaker's claim |url=https://www.altnews.in/32000-kerala-women-in-isis-misquotes-flawed-math-imaginary-figures-behind-filmmakers-claim/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203221700/https://www.altnews.in/32000-kerala-women-in-isis-misquotes-flawed-math-imaginary-figures-behind-filmmakers-claim/ |archive-date=3 December 2022 |access-date=2 December 2022 |website=Alt News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Ellis-Petersen |first=Hannah |date=9 November 2022 |title=Indian police investigating film that portrays Kerala as Islamic terrorism hub |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/09/india-police-investigating-film-portrays-kerala-islamic-terrorism-hub |url-status=live |access-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202124302/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/09/india-police-investigating-film-portrays-kerala-islamic-terrorism-hub |archive-date=2 December 2022 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
-''The Kerala Story'' was released in theatres on 5 May 2023. With a worldwide gross of {{INRConvert|303.97|c}}, it became the [[List of Hindi films of 2023|third-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bollywood Top Grossers Worldwide: 2023|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office-collections/worldwide/2023/|website=Bollywood Hungama|access-date=13 June 2023}}</ref> It was heavily promoted by the incumbent [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP), which leveraged the film in its campaigning for the [[2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election|Karnataka assembly election]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 May 2023 |title='The Kerala Story' takes centre stage as other issues pushed to back-burner in Karnataka polls |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/the-kerala-story-takes-centre-stage-as-other-issues-pushed-to-back-burner-in-karnataka-polls-1.8545991 |access-date=19 May 2023 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 May 2023 |title=PM invokes 'The Kerala Story' to slam Congress in Karnataka rally |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/assembly-elections/karnataka/news/pm-invokes-the-kerala-story-to-slam-cong-in-karnataka-rally/articleshow/100023243.cms |access-date=19 May 2023 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>  However, film critics accorded it overwhelmingly negative reviews, characterizing the work as Islamophobic [[Propaganda film|propaganda]].<ref name=":8">{{cite news |last1=Bureau |first1=The Hindu |date=7 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story pulled out of multiplexes in Tamil Nadu |newspaper=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/the-kerala-story-pulled-out-of-multiplexes-in-tamil-nadu/article66824215.ece |access-date=9 May 2023 |issn=0971-751X |via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=10 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story: Why an Indian film on Islamic State is so controversial |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65481927 |access-date=19 May 2023}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite magazine |date=18 May 2023 |title=How a Low-Budget Hindi Film Ignited Deadly Religious Tension |url=https://time.com/6280955/kerala-story-movie-india/ |access-date=19 May 2023 |magazine=Time |language=en}}</ref> The film has also faced protracted litigation and protests, primarily in Kerala, [[West Bengal]] and [[Tamil Nadu]].
+''The Kerala Story'' was released in theatres on 5 May 2023. With a worldwide gross of {{INRConvert|303.97|c}}, it became the [[List of Hindi films of 2023|third-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bollywood Top Grossers Worldwide: 2023|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office-collections/worldwide/2023/|website=Bollywood Hungama|access-date=13 June 2023|archive-date=26 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126125943/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office-collections/worldwide/2023/|url-status=live}}</ref> It was heavily promoted by the incumbent [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP), which leveraged the film in its campaigning for the [[2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election|Karnataka assembly election]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 May 2023 |title='The Kerala Story' takes centre stage as other issues pushed to back-burner in Karnataka polls |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/the-kerala-story-takes-centre-stage-as-other-issues-pushed-to-back-burner-in-karnataka-polls-1.8545991 |access-date=19 May 2023 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en |archive-date=19 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519032229/https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/the-kerala-story-takes-centre-stage-as-other-issues-pushed-to-back-burner-in-karnataka-polls-1.8545991 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 May 2023 |title=PM invokes 'The Kerala Story' to slam Congress in Karnataka rally |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/assembly-elections/karnataka/news/pm-invokes-the-kerala-story-to-slam-cong-in-karnataka-rally/articleshow/100023243.cms |access-date=19 May 2023 |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=19 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519062759/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/assembly-elections/karnataka/news/pm-invokes-the-kerala-story-to-slam-cong-in-karnataka-rally/articleshow/100023243.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>  However, film critics accorded it overwhelmingly negative reviews, characterizing the work as Islamophobic [[Propaganda film|propaganda]].<ref name=":8">{{cite news |last1=Bureau |first1=The Hindu |date=7 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story pulled out of multiplexes in Tamil Nadu |newspaper=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/the-kerala-story-pulled-out-of-multiplexes-in-tamil-nadu/article66824215.ece |access-date=9 May 2023 |issn=0971-751X |via=www.thehindu.com |archive-date=9 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509170334/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/the-kerala-story-pulled-out-of-multiplexes-in-tamil-nadu/article66824215.ece |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=10 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story: Why an Indian film on Islamic State is so controversial |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65481927 |access-date=19 May 2023 |archive-date=19 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519045856/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65481927 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite magazine |date=18 May 2023 |title=How a Low-Budget Hindi Film Ignited Deadly Religious Tension |url=https://time.com/6280955/kerala-story-movie-india/ |access-date=19 May 2023 |magazine=Time |language=en}}</ref> The film has also faced protracted litigation and protests, primarily in Kerala, [[West Bengal]] and [[Tamil Nadu]].
 ==Plot==
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 == Production and release ==
-The film was produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who is also the [[creative director]] of the film.<ref name=":2" /> It was released in theatres on 5 May 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 April 2023 |title=Controversial film The Kerala Story to be released on May 5, trailer out |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/controversial-film-kerala-story-be-released-may-5-trailer-out-176387 |access-date=26 April 2023 |website=The News Minute |language=en |archive-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426100008/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/controversial-film-kerala-story-be-released-may-5-trailer-out-176387 |url-status=live }}</ref> The digital streaming rights of the film was purchased by [[ZEE5]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story OTT Rights Bought By This Leading Platform, Tentative Release Date Out |url=https://english.jagran.com/entertainment/the-kerala-story-ott-rights-bought-by-this-leading-platform-tentative-release-date-out-10076947 |access-date=20 May 2023 |website=English Jagran |language=en}}</ref> Prior to its domestic release, the film went through [[Central Board of Film Certification|CBFC]] scrutiny and received an adults only classification following a number of requested changes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/the-kerala-story-gets-a-certificate-cbfc-removes-10-scenes-including-interview-with-former-cm-2367361-2023-05-02|title=Censor Board gives The Kerala Story 'A' certificate, removes 10 scenes, including interview with ex-CM|website=[[India Today]]|access-date=2 May 2023}}</ref>
+The film was produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who is also the [[creative director]] of the film.<ref name=":2" /> It was released in theatres on 5 May 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 April 2023 |title=Controversial film The Kerala Story to be released on May 5, trailer out |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/controversial-film-kerala-story-be-released-may-5-trailer-out-176387 |access-date=26 April 2023 |website=The News Minute |language=en |archive-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426100008/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/controversial-film-kerala-story-be-released-may-5-trailer-out-176387 |url-status=live }}</ref> The digital streaming rights of the film was purchased by [[ZEE5]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story OTT Rights Bought By This Leading Platform, Tentative Release Date Out |url=https://english.jagran.com/entertainment/the-kerala-story-ott-rights-bought-by-this-leading-platform-tentative-release-date-out-10076947 |access-date=20 May 2023 |website=English Jagran |language=en |archive-date=20 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520105837/https://english.jagran.com/entertainment/the-kerala-story-ott-rights-bought-by-this-leading-platform-tentative-release-date-out-10076947 |url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to its domestic release, the film went through [[Central Board of Film Certification|CBFC]] scrutiny and received an adults only classification following a number of requested changes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/the-kerala-story-gets-a-certificate-cbfc-removes-10-scenes-including-interview-with-former-cm-2367361-2023-05-02|title=Censor Board gives The Kerala Story 'A' certificate, removes 10 scenes, including interview with ex-CM|website=[[India Today]]|access-date=2 May 2023|archive-date=2 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502064805/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/the-kerala-story-gets-a-certificate-cbfc-removes-10-scenes-including-interview-with-former-cm-2367361-2023-05-02|url-status=live}}</ref>
 ==Premise and factual accuracy==
-The teaser released on 3 November 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 November 2022 |title=The Kerala Story teaser out |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/hindi/videos/2022/nov/03/the-kerala-story-teaser-out-36223.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426104904/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/hindi/videos/2022/nov/03/the-kerala-story-teaser-out-36223.html |archive-date=26 April 2023 |access-date=26 April 2023 |website=[[Cinema Express]] |language=en}}</ref> featuring the character of Fathima Ba, a Hindu [[Malayali]] nurse who had converted to Islam and joined the ISIS, before ending up in an Afghan jail.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |date=10 November 2022 |title=The Kerala Story: Film on India women in Islamic State sparks row |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63580042 |url-status=live |access-date=10 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110195006/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63580042 |archive-date=10 November 2022}}</ref> She claimed to be one of 32,000 girls from the Hindu and [[Christianity in Kerala|Christian]] communities, who are missing from Kerala and have been recruited into the [[Islamic State|Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]] (ISIS) after being converted to Islam.<ref name=":0" /> Sen, the director of the film, has made such claims for years.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> In 2018, he had directed a documentary on what he claimed to be the involuntary mass-conversion of 32,000 Hindu and Christian girls to Islam as part of an "international conspiracy" to render Kerala an Islamic state.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Athimuthu |first=Soundarya |date=12 November 2022 |title=Who Made 'The Kerala Story' & Why Were They Embroiled in Controversies Before? |url=https://www.thequint.com/south-india/the-kerala-story-movie-teaser-controversy-sudipto-sen-isis-terrorism-kerala |website=TheQuint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Kritika |date=30 April 2018 |title=I was trying to bust 'love jihad' theory, says film-maker at centre of JNU screening row |url=https://theprint.in/politics/trying-bust-love-jihad-theory-film-maker-entre-jnu-screening-row/53834/ |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 May 2018 |title=Film not on 'love jihad', says director |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/film-not-on-love-jihad-says-director/articleshow/63979137.cms |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>
+The teaser released on 3 November 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 November 2022 |title=The Kerala Story teaser out |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/hindi/videos/2022/nov/03/the-kerala-story-teaser-out-36223.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426104904/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/hindi/videos/2022/nov/03/the-kerala-story-teaser-out-36223.html |archive-date=26 April 2023 |access-date=26 April 2023 |website=[[Cinema Express]] |language=en}}</ref> featuring the character of Fathima Ba, a Hindu [[Malayali]] nurse who had converted to Islam and joined the ISIS, before ending up in an Afghan jail.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |date=10 November 2022 |title=The Kerala Story: Film on India women in Islamic State sparks row |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63580042 |url-status=live |access-date=10 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110195006/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63580042 |archive-date=10 November 2022}}</ref> She claimed to be one of 32,000 girls from the Hindu and [[Christianity in Kerala|Christian]] communities, who are missing from Kerala and have been recruited into the [[Islamic State|Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]] (ISIS) after being converted to Islam.<ref name=":0" /> Sen, the director of the film, has made such claims for years.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> In 2018, he had directed a documentary on what he claimed to be the involuntary mass-conversion of 32,000 Hindu and Christian girls to Islam as part of an "international conspiracy" to render Kerala an Islamic state.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Athimuthu |first=Soundarya |date=12 November 2022 |title=Who Made 'The Kerala Story' & Why Were They Embroiled in Controversies Before? |url=https://www.thequint.com/south-india/the-kerala-story-movie-teaser-controversy-sudipto-sen-isis-terrorism-kerala |website=TheQuint |language=en |access-date=12 May 2023 |archive-date=12 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512170111/https://www.thequint.com/south-india/the-kerala-story-movie-teaser-controversy-sudipto-sen-isis-terrorism-kerala |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Kritika |date=30 April 2018 |title=I was trying to bust 'love jihad' theory, says film-maker at centre of JNU screening row |url=https://theprint.in/politics/trying-bust-love-jihad-theory-film-maker-entre-jnu-screening-row/53834/ |website=ThePrint |language=en-US |access-date=12 May 2023 |archive-date=11 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511121231/https://theprint.in/politics/trying-bust-love-jihad-theory-film-maker-entre-jnu-screening-row/53834/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 May 2018 |title=Film not on 'love jihad', says director |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/film-not-on-love-jihad-says-director/articleshow/63979137.cms |website=The Times of India |language=en |access-date=12 May 2023 |archive-date=21 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221210048/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/film-not-on-love-jihad-says-director/articleshow/63979137.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>
-While the events portrayed in the film are loosely based on the accounts of three women from [[Kerala]], namely: Nimisha Nair, Sonia Sebastian, and Merin Jacob, who converted to Islam and traveled with their respective husbands to [[Afghanistan]] to join the ISIS between 2016 and 2018, the claimed figures in the film are wildly inaccurate, being based on mistranslations, misquotes, and misrepresentations of unrelated statistics.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 May 2023 |title=How accurate are the claims made by 'The Kerala Story'? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-accurate-are-the-claims-made-by-the-kerala-story-8586042/ |access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Fatima |date=9 September 2021 |title=Taliban back, desperate Kerala families hope couples who fled to Afghanistan for ISIS can return |url=https://theprint.in/india/taliban-back-desperate-kerala-families-hope-couples-who-fled-to-afghanistan-for-isis-can-return/730184/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202123254/https://theprint.in/india/taliban-back-desperate-kerala-families-hope-couples-who-fled-to-afghanistan-for-isis-can-return/730184/ |archive-date=2 December 2022 |access-date=2 December 2022 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> No more than 100-200 Indians have joined the group from the entire country, with people from Kerala accounting for less than a quarter of them.<ref name=":0" /> The figures posited in the film also exceed the entire strength of the ISIS.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Jha |first=Prem Shankar |date=8 May 2023 |title=Modi's Backing of Inflammatory, Fictional 'Kerala Story' Highlights Pressing Need for Opposition Unity |url=https://thewire.in/communalism/narendra-modi-kerala-story-opposition-unity |website=The Wire}}</ref>
+While the events portrayed in the film are loosely based on the accounts of three women from [[Kerala]], namely: Nimisha Nair, Sonia Sebastian, and Merin Jacob, who converted to Islam and traveled with their respective husbands to [[Afghanistan]] to join the ISIS between 2016 and 2018, the claimed figures in the film are wildly inaccurate, being based on mistranslations, misquotes, and misrepresentations of unrelated statistics.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 May 2023 |title=How accurate are the claims made by 'The Kerala Story'? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-accurate-are-the-claims-made-by-the-kerala-story-8586042/ |access-date=9 May 2023 |archive-date=9 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509170335/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-accurate-are-the-claims-made-by-the-kerala-story-8586042/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Fatima |date=9 September 2021 |title=Taliban back, desperate Kerala families hope couples who fled to Afghanistan for ISIS can return |url=https://theprint.in/india/taliban-back-desperate-kerala-families-hope-couples-who-fled-to-afghanistan-for-isis-can-return/730184/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202123254/https://theprint.in/india/taliban-back-desperate-kerala-families-hope-couples-who-fled-to-afghanistan-for-isis-can-return/730184/ |archive-date=2 December 2022 |access-date=2 December 2022 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> No more than 100-200 Indians have joined the group from the entire country, with people from Kerala accounting for less than a quarter of them.<ref name=":0" /> The figures posited in the film also exceed the entire strength of the ISIS.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Jha |first=Prem Shankar |date=8 May 2023 |title=Modi's Backing of Inflammatory, Fictional 'Kerala Story' Highlights Pressing Need for Opposition Unity |url=https://thewire.in/communalism/narendra-modi-kerala-story-opposition-unity |website=The Wire |access-date=10 May 2023 |archive-date=10 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510230423/https://thewire.in/communalism/narendra-modi-kerala-story-opposition-unity |url-status=live }}</ref>
-Later, in response to litigation, the film-makers removed all promotional materials, including the teaser, that had the erroneous figure.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |title=The Kerala Story producer agrees to remove '32,000 women converted' from teaser |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/law/high-courts/story/kerala-story-row-producer-agrees-remove-teaser-conversion-isis-32000-women-2368914-2023-05-05 |access-date=12 May 2023 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> However, the film repeated the claims multiple times and once raised it even higher to 50,000.<ref name="Rajendran">{{cite web |last=Rajendran |first=Sowmya |date=5 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story review: A no-nuance propaganda film that thrives on shock value |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kerala-story-review-no-nuance-propaganda-film-thrives-shock-value-176794 |access-date=9 May 2023 |website=The News Minute}}</ref> In response to further litigation, Sen admitted to all figures in the film being inauthentic, and that the film was a "fictionalized" portrayal of real-life events.<ref name=":11" />
+Later, in response to litigation, the film-makers removed all promotional materials, including the teaser, that had the erroneous figure.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |title=The Kerala Story producer agrees to remove '32,000 women converted' from teaser |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/law/high-courts/story/kerala-story-row-producer-agrees-remove-teaser-conversion-isis-32000-women-2368914-2023-05-05 |access-date=12 May 2023 |website=India Today |language=en |archive-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505095332/https://www.indiatoday.in/law/high-courts/story/kerala-story-row-producer-agrees-remove-teaser-conversion-isis-32000-women-2368914-2023-05-05 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the film repeated the claims multiple times and once raised it even higher to 50,000.<ref name="Rajendran">{{cite web |last=Rajendran |first=Sowmya |date=5 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story review: A no-nuance propaganda film that thrives on shock value |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kerala-story-review-no-nuance-propaganda-film-thrives-shock-value-176794 |access-date=9 May 2023 |website=The News Minute |archive-date=9 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509170334/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kerala-story-review-no-nuance-propaganda-film-thrives-shock-value-176794 |url-status=live }}</ref> In response to further litigation, Sen admitted to all figures in the film being inauthentic, and that the film was a "fictionalized" portrayal of real-life events.<ref name=":11" />
 == Response ==
 === Promotion by ruling party ===
-The ruling [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) and its associated organisation, the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) have supported the film; the party used it for their political messaging in the campaigning for [[2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election|Karnataka assembly elections]].<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=8 May 2023 |title=PM Modi to JP Nadda, BJP leaders promote The Kerala Story amid Karnataka polls |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/pm-modi-jp-nadda-bjp-leaders-promote-kerala-story-amid-karnataka-polls-176886 |website=[[The News Minute]] |language=en}}</ref> Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] endorsed the film at an election rally in Karnataka, claimed that it had unearthed a "conspiracy", and alleged the [[Indian National Congress]] — which opposed the film — to support terrorism.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=5 May 2023 |title=As Producers Withdraw Misleading Claim, Modi Says 'Kerala Story' Exposes 'Ugly Truth' of Terrorism |url=https://thewire.in/film/kerala-story-prime-minister-modi-misleading-claim |website=The Wire}}</ref> BJP President [[J. P. Nadda]] held special screenings of the film and invited "young [Hindu] girls" to watch it with them.<ref name=":5" /> The film was made tax free in [[Madhya Pradesh]] as well as [[Uttar Pradesh]]; both the states have BJP governments.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story: Dozens held in Maharashtra after Islamic State film row |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65606602 |access-date=19 May 2023}}</ref> ''[[Organiser (magazine)|Organiser]]'', the official mouthpiece of RSS, described the film as a "dangerous truth".<ref name=":7" />
+The ruling [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) and its associated organisation, the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) have supported the film; the party used it for their political messaging in the campaigning for [[2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election|Karnataka assembly elections]].<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=8 May 2023 |title=PM Modi to JP Nadda, BJP leaders promote The Kerala Story amid Karnataka polls |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/pm-modi-jp-nadda-bjp-leaders-promote-kerala-story-amid-karnataka-polls-176886 |website=[[The News Minute]] |language=en |access-date=10 May 2023 |archive-date=8 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508145127/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/pm-modi-jp-nadda-bjp-leaders-promote-kerala-story-amid-karnataka-polls-176886 |url-status=live }}</ref> Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] endorsed the film at an election rally in Karnataka, claimed that it had unearthed a "conspiracy", and alleged the [[Indian National Congress]] — which opposed the film — to support terrorism.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=5 May 2023 |title=As Producers Withdraw Misleading Claim, Modi Says 'Kerala Story' Exposes 'Ugly Truth' of Terrorism |url=https://thewire.in/film/kerala-story-prime-minister-modi-misleading-claim |website=The Wire |access-date=10 May 2023 |archive-date=10 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510210830/https://thewire.in/film/kerala-story-prime-minister-modi-misleading-claim |url-status=live }}</ref> BJP President [[J. P. Nadda]] held special screenings of the film and invited "young [Hindu] girls" to watch it with them.<ref name=":5" /> The film was made tax free in [[Madhya Pradesh]] as well as [[Uttar Pradesh]]; both the states have BJP governments.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story: Dozens held in Maharashtra after Islamic State film row |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65606602 |access-date=19 May 2023 |archive-date=19 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519061857/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65606602 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Organiser (magazine)|Organiser]]'', the official mouthpiece of RSS, described the film as a "dangerous truth".<ref name=":7" />
 === Political opposition ===
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 === Public protests ===
-The film has attracted public protests in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.<ref name=":9" /><ref name="TheQuint">{{cite web |last1=Sasikumar |first1=Meenakshy |date=8 May 2023 |title=Why Is 'The Kerala Story' Facing Pushback in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, & West Bengal? |url=https://www.thequint.com/explainers/the-kerala-story-pushback-theatres-kerala-tamil-nadu-west-bengal-ban |access-date=9 May 2023 |website=TheQuint}}</ref> It fared poorly in Tamil Nadu, apparently forcing the Tamil Nadu Multiplex Association to stop further screenings; however, the filmmakers dispute the claims and allege political censorship.<ref name=":8" /> The film had a similar fate in Kerala.<ref name="TheQuint" />
+The film has attracted public protests in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.<ref name=":9" /><ref name="TheQuint">{{cite web |last1=Sasikumar |first1=Meenakshy |date=8 May 2023 |title=Why Is 'The Kerala Story' Facing Pushback in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, & West Bengal? |url=https://www.thequint.com/explainers/the-kerala-story-pushback-theatres-kerala-tamil-nadu-west-bengal-ban |access-date=9 May 2023 |website=TheQuint |archive-date=8 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508204545/https://www.thequint.com/explainers/the-kerala-story-pushback-theatres-kerala-tamil-nadu-west-bengal-ban |url-status=live }}</ref> It fared poorly in Tamil Nadu, apparently forcing the Tamil Nadu Multiplex Association to stop further screenings; however, the filmmakers dispute the claims and allege political censorship.<ref name=":8" /> The film had a similar fate in Kerala.<ref name="TheQuint" />
 === Bans and litigation ===
-On the eve of release, several petitions were filed at the [[Madras High Court]], [[Kerala High Court]] and the Supreme Court of India, calling for a ban on grounds of promoting communal disharmony.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |title="There are umpteen movies depicting Hindu sanyasis as rapists": Kerala High Court refuses to stay release of The Kerala Story |date=5 May 2023 |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/kerala-high-court-refuses-stay-release-movie-the-kerala-story}}</ref> The petitions were either declined to be heard or dismissed by the courts;<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 May 2023 |title=Kerala High Court refuses to stay screening of 'The Kerala Story' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-hc-refuses-to-stay-the-kerala-story-screening-8593072/ |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> however, the film-makers were asked to remove all promotional materials, including the teaser, that claimed thirty two thousand girls to have converted to Islam and joined ISIS in real life.<ref name=":10" />
+On the eve of release, several petitions were filed at the [[Madras High Court]], [[Kerala High Court]] and the Supreme Court of India, calling for a ban on grounds of promoting communal disharmony.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |title="There are umpteen movies depicting Hindu sanyasis as rapists": Kerala High Court refuses to stay release of The Kerala Story |date=5 May 2023 |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/kerala-high-court-refuses-stay-release-movie-the-kerala-story |access-date=5 May 2023 |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803050201/https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=SaraSusanJiji&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1686605052469792769&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barandbench.com%2Fnews%2Fkerala-high-court-refuses-stay-release-movie-the-kerala-story&sessionId=f5b3ec22ad45c3e37dcdb6d94693e49821363c92&siteScreenName=barandbench&theme=light&widgetsVersion=aaf4084522e3a%3A1674595607486&width=550px |url-status=live }}</ref> The petitions were either declined to be heard or dismissed by the courts;<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 May 2023 |title=Kerala High Court refuses to stay screening of 'The Kerala Story' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-hc-refuses-to-stay-the-kerala-story-screening-8593072/ |website=The Indian Express |language=en |access-date=10 May 2023 |archive-date=10 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510205324/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-hc-refuses-to-stay-the-kerala-story-screening-8593072/ |url-status=live }}</ref> however, the film-makers were asked to remove all promotional materials, including the teaser, that claimed thirty two thousand girls to have converted to Islam and joined ISIS in real life.<ref name=":10" />
-On 8 May, the [[Government of West Bengal]] banned the movie, characterizing the film as "hate speech", and citing adverse intelligence reports that had reported increased communal tensions in the audience.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=N. L. |date=17 May 2023 |title='Contains hate speech, manipulated facts': Bengal govt defends ban on Kerala Story |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2023/05/17/contains-hate-speech-manipulated-facts-bengal-govt-defends-ban-on-kerala-story |access-date=19 May 2023 |website=Newslaundry}}</ref> The filmmakers challenged the decision in the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] and the ban was stayed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 May 2023 |title=Supreme Court stays West Bengal govt order banning film 'The Kerala Story' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-order-west-bengal-ban-the-kerala-story-8616483/ |access-date=18 May 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> However, the filmmakers had to accept the addition of two disclaimers — that the figures in the film were inauthentic, and that the film was a "fictionalized" portrayal of real-life events.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=18 May 2023 |title=Supreme Court stays West Bengal govt order banning film 'The Kerala Story' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-order-west-bengal-ban-the-kerala-story-8616483/ |access-date=19 May 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
+On 8 May, the [[Government of West Bengal]] banned the movie, characterizing the film as "hate speech", and citing adverse intelligence reports that had reported increased communal tensions in the audience.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=N. L. |date=17 May 2023 |title='Contains hate speech, manipulated facts': Bengal govt defends ban on Kerala Story |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2023/05/17/contains-hate-speech-manipulated-facts-bengal-govt-defends-ban-on-kerala-story |access-date=19 May 2023 |website=Newslaundry |archive-date=19 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519144725/https://www.newslaundry.com/2023/05/17/contains-hate-speech-manipulated-facts-bengal-govt-defends-ban-on-kerala-story |url-status=live }}</ref> The filmmakers challenged the decision in the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] and the ban was stayed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 May 2023 |title=Supreme Court stays West Bengal govt order banning film 'The Kerala Story' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-order-west-bengal-ban-the-kerala-story-8616483/ |access-date=18 May 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=18 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518122048/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-order-west-bengal-ban-the-kerala-story-8616483/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the filmmakers had to accept the addition of two disclaimers — that the figures in the film were inauthentic, and that the film was a "fictionalized" portrayal of real-life events.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=18 May 2023 |title=Supreme Court stays West Bengal govt order banning film 'The Kerala Story' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-order-west-bengal-ban-the-kerala-story-8616483/ |access-date=19 May 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=19 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519052726/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-order-west-bengal-ban-the-kerala-story-8616483/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 == Reception ==
-===Critical reception===
+=== Critical reception ===
 The film was critically panned. {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|20|3|5}}
-[[Saibal Chatterjee]] of [[NDTV]] rated the film 0.5 out of 5 stars, calling it a "lengthy WhatsApp forward", and writing that Sen's work was laughably inept and in pursuance of an insidious agenda.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chatterjee |first=Saibal |author-link=Saibal Chatterjee |date=5 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story Review: The Writing Is Consistently Cringeworthy, The Acting Is No Better |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-kerala-story-review-the-writing-is-consistently-cringeworthy-the-acting-is-no-better-0-5-star-4007753 |access-date=5 May 2023 |website=NDTV.com |archive-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505100700/https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-kerala-story-review-the-writing-is-consistently-cringeworthy-the-acting-is-no-better-0-5-star-4007753 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Shubhra Gupta]] of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' gave the film 1 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as a "poorly-made, poorly-acted rant" that flattened Muslims into absolute evils.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gupta |first=Shubhra |author-link=Shubhra Gupta |date=5 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story movie review: A poorly-made, poorly-acted rant |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/the-kerala-story-movie-review-poorly-made-poorly-acted-rant-8592583/ |access-date=5 May 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505105104/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/the-kerala-story-movie-review-poorly-made-poorly-acted-rant-8592583/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Nandini Ramnath of ''[[Scroll.in]]'' found the raison d'être of the film to lie in propagating Islamophobia, with every Muslim character being coded as a fanatic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramnath |first=Nandini |title='The Kerala Story' review: All about Islamophobia |url=https://scroll.in/reel/1048570/the-kerala-story-review-all-about-islamophobia |access-date=12 May 2023 |website=Scroll.in |date=5 May 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> Anuj Kumar of ''[[The Hindu]]'' described the work as "burlesque" propaganda that borrowed its understanding of Islam, from "hate-filled Whatsapp groups" and sought to turn the audience into purveyors of hate by peddling "half-truths".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Anuj |date=5 May 2023 |title='The Kerala Story' movie review: Adah Sharma's performance marred by half-truths and an emotionally exploitative gaze |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharmas-performance-marred-by-half-truths-and-an-emotionally-exploitative-gaze/article66815585.ece |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506153740/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharmas-performance-marred-by-half-truths-and-an-emotionally-exploitative-gaze/article66815585.ece |archive-date=9 May 2023 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
+[[Saibal Chatterjee]] of [[NDTV]] rated the film 0.5 out of 5 stars, calling it a "lengthy WhatsApp forward", and writing that Sen's work was laughably inept and in pursuance of an insidious agenda.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chatterjee |first=Saibal |author-link=Saibal Chatterjee |date=5 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story Review: The Writing Is Consistently Cringeworthy, The Acting Is No Better |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-kerala-story-review-the-writing-is-consistently-cringeworthy-the-acting-is-no-better-0-5-star-4007753 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505100700/https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-kerala-story-review-the-writing-is-consistently-cringeworthy-the-acting-is-no-better-0-5-star-4007753 |archive-date=5 May 2023 |access-date=5 May 2023 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref> [[Shubhra Gupta]] of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' gave the film 1 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as a "poorly-made, poorly-acted rant" that flattened Muslims into absolute evils.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gupta |first=Shubhra |author-link=Shubhra Gupta |date=5 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story movie review: A poorly-made, poorly-acted rant |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/the-kerala-story-movie-review-poorly-made-poorly-acted-rant-8592583/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505105104/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/the-kerala-story-movie-review-poorly-made-poorly-acted-rant-8592583/ |archive-date=5 May 2023 |access-date=5 May 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> Nandini Ramnath of ''[[Scroll.in]]'' found the raison d'être of the film to lie in propagating Islamophobia, with every Muslim character being coded as a fanatic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramnath |first=Nandini |date=5 May 2023 |title='The Kerala Story' review: All about Islamophobia |url=https://scroll.in/reel/1048570/the-kerala-story-review-all-about-islamophobia |access-date=12 May 2023 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US |archive-date=12 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512143513/https://scroll.in/reel/1048570/the-kerala-story-review-all-about-islamophobia |url-status=live }}</ref> Anuj Kumar of ''[[The Hindu]]'' described the work as "burlesque" propaganda that borrowed its understanding of Islam, from "hate-filled Whatsapp groups" and sought to turn the audience into purveyors of hate by peddling "half-truths".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Anuj |date=5 May 2023 |title='The Kerala Story' movie review: Adah Sharma's performance marred by half-truths and an emotionally exploitative gaze |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharmas-performance-marred-by-half-truths-and-an-emotionally-exploitative-gaze/article66815585.ece |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506153740/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharmas-performance-marred-by-half-truths-and-an-emotionally-exploitative-gaze/article66815585.ece |archive-date=6 May 2023}}</ref>
-Deepanjana Pal, reviewing for ''[[Film Companion]]'', commented that the film was a
+Deepanjana Pal, reviewing for ''[[Film Companion]]'', commented that the film was a "Giant Whatsapp forward" that could be hardly called a film, critiquing  it for being political propaganda aimed at demonizing Keralite Muslims and tapping into contemporary Hindu nationalist anxieties; Sen was "glaringly inept" in tackling the causes of radicalization with sensitivity and merely preyed upon the grief of real survivors and victims.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pal |first=Deepanjana |date=5 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story Movie Review: If WhatsApp Forwards Could Be a Film, This Would Be It |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/bollywood-review/the-kerala-story-movie-review-if-whatsapp-forwards-could-be-a-film-this-would-be-it-sudipto-sen-adah-sharma-yogita-bihani-sonia-balani-siddhi-idnani |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505211106/https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/bollywood-review/the-kerala-story-movie-review-if-whatsapp-forwards-could-be-a-film-this-would-be-it-sudipto-sen-adah-sharma-yogita-bihani-sonia-balani-siddhi-idnani |archive-date=5 May 2023 |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=[[Film Companion]]}}</ref> [[Sowmya Rajendran]], reviewing for [[The News Minute]], rated the film 1 star out of 5 star; she panned the film as "no-nuance propaganda" where women were treated as objects who were to be fought for between religions and ideologies by men.<ref name="Rajendran" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Kerala Story Movie Review: A serious issue lost to bad direction, worse writing |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharma-vipul-amrutlal-shah-sudipto-sen-2368893-2023-05-05 |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=India Today |language=en |archive-date=2 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602063915/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharma-vipul-amrutlal-shah-sudipto-sen-2368893-2023-05-05 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gahlot |first=Deepa |title=The Kerala Story Review: Distorted |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/the-kerala-story-review/20230505.htm |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Rediff |language=en |archive-date=1 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601053910/https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/the-kerala-story-review/20230505.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mishra |first=Pratikshya |date=2023-05-05 |title='The Kerala Story' Review: Some Storytelling Is Irresponsible at Best |url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/sudipto-sen-the-kerala-story-love-jihad-full-movie-review-religious-extremism |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=TheQuint |language=en |archive-date=1 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601053912/https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/sudipto-sen-the-kerala-story-love-jihad-full-movie-review-religious-extremism |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='The Kerala Story' review: A chalice filled with anti-Muslim venom |url=https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2023/05/05/the-kerala-story-review-a-chalice-filled-with-anti-muslim-venom.html |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=The Week |language=en |archive-date=1 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601053921/https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2023/05/05/the-kerala-story-review-a-chalice-filled-with-anti-muslim-venom.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Prateek Sur |date=12 May 2023 |title='The Kerala Story' Movie Review: Adah Sharma's Film Is A Fantastic Guide On What Not To Do When Someone's Brainwashing You |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/-the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharma-yogita-bihani-sonia-balani-siddhi-idnani-film-is-a-fantastic-guide-on-what-not-to-do-when-someone-s-brainwashing-you-controversy-protest-ban-movie_reviews-284914 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512184648/https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/-the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharma-yogita-bihani-sonia-balani-siddhi-idnani-film-is-a-fantastic-guide-on-what-not-to-do-when-someone-s-brainwashing-you-controversy-protest-ban-movie_reviews-284914 |archive-date=12 May 2023 |access-date=13 May 2023 |website=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] |language=en}}</ref>
-"Giant Whatsapp forward" that could be hardly called a film, critiquing  it for being political propaganda aimed at demonizing Keralite Muslims and tapping into contemporary Hindu nationalist anxieties; Sen was "glaringly inept" in tackling the causes of radicalization with sensitivity and merely preyed upon the grief of real survivors and victims.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pal |first=Deepanjana |title=The Kerala Story Movie Review: If WhatsApp Forwards Could Be a Film, This Would Be It |url= |website=www.filmcompanion.in |language=en}}</ref> [[Sowmya Rajendran]], reviewing for [[The News Minute]], rated the film 1 star out of 5 star; she panned the film as "no-nuance propaganda" where women were treated as objects who were to be fought for between religions and ideologies by men.<ref name="Rajendran" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Kerala Story Movie Review: A serious issue lost to bad direction, worse writing |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharma-vipul-amrutlal-shah-sudipto-sen-2368893-2023-05-05 |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=GAHLOT |first=DEEPA |title=The Kerala Story Review: Distorted |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/the-kerala-story-review/20230505.htm |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Rediff |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mishra |first=Pratikshya |date=2023-05-05 |title='The Kerala Story' Review: Some Storytelling Is Irresponsible at Best |url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/sudipto-sen-the-kerala-story-love-jihad-full-movie-review-religious-extremism |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=TheQuint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='The Kerala Story' review: A chalice filled with anti-Muslim venom |url=https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2023/05/05/the-kerala-story-review-a-chalice-filled-with-anti-muslim-venom.html |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=The Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Prateek Sur |date=12 May 2023 |title='The Kerala Story' Movie Review: Adah Sharma's Film Is A Fantastic Guide On What Not To Do When Someone's Brainwashing You |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/-the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharma-yogita-bihani-sonia-balani-siddhi-idnani-film-is-a-fantastic-guide-on-what-not-to-do-when-someone-s-brainwashing-you-controversy-protest-ban-movie_reviews-284914 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512184648/https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/-the-kerala-story-movie-review-adah-sharma-yogita-bihani-sonia-balani-siddhi-idnani-film-is-a-fantastic-guide-on-what-not-to-do-when-someone-s-brainwashing-you-controversy-protest-ban-movie_reviews-284914 |archive-date=12 May 2023 |access-date=13 May 2023 |website=www.outlookindia.com |publisher=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] |language=en}}</ref>
 === Box office ===
-On its opening day, the film grossed ₹8.03 crore in India,<ref>{{cite web |last=Tuteja |first=Joginder |date=6 May 2023 |title=Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Box Office: Survives steep competition from Bollywood's The Kerala Story on Day 1 |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/box-office-special-features/guardians-galaxy-vol-3-box-office-survives-steep-competition-bollywoods-kerala-story-day-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506104335/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/box-office-special-features/guardians-galaxy-vol-3-box-office-survives-steep-competition-bollywoods-kerala-story-day-1/ |archive-date=6 May 2023 |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref> making it the fifth highest opener in India for 2023.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Entertainment Desk |date=6 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story box office collection Day 1: Sudipto Sen's film gets better opening than Selfiee, Shehzada, Kashmir Files; earns Rs 8.03 cr |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/the-kerala-story-box-office-day-1-sudipto-sen-film-gets-better-opening-than-kashmir-files-8594362/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506080707/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/the-kerala-story-box-office-day-1-sudipto-sen-film-gets-better-opening-than-kashmir-files-8594362/ |archive-date=6 May 2023}}</ref> {{As of|2023|06|15}}, the film has grossed {{INRConvert|288.04|c}} in India and {{INRConvert|15.64|c}} overseas for a worldwide gross collection of {{INRConvert|303.97|c}}, becoming the [[List of Hindi films of 2023|third-highest grossing Hindi film of 2023.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/the-kerala-story/box-office/|title=The Kerala Story Box office collection|access-date=13 June 2023|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=5 May 2023 }}</ref> The film performed well in northern India but underperformed in the south.<ref name="TheQuint" />
+On its opening day, the film grossed ₹8.03 crore in India,<ref>{{cite web |last=Tuteja |first=Joginder |date=6 May 2023 |title=Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Box Office: Survives steep competition from Bollywood's The Kerala Story on Day 1 |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/box-office-special-features/guardians-galaxy-vol-3-box-office-survives-steep-competition-bollywoods-kerala-story-day-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506104335/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/box-office-special-features/guardians-galaxy-vol-3-box-office-survives-steep-competition-bollywoods-kerala-story-day-1/ |archive-date=6 May 2023 |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref> making it the fifth highest opener in India for 2023.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Entertainment Desk |date=6 May 2023 |title=The Kerala Story box office collection Day 1: Sudipto Sen's film gets better opening than Selfiee, Shehzada, Kashmir Files; earns Rs 8.03 cr |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/the-kerala-story-box-office-day-1-sudipto-sen-film-gets-better-opening-than-kashmir-files-8594362/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506080707/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/the-kerala-story-box-office-day-1-sudipto-sen-film-gets-better-opening-than-kashmir-files-8594362/ |archive-date=6 May 2023}}</ref> {{As of|2023|06|15}}, the film has grossed {{INRConvert|288.04|c}} in India and {{INRConvert|15.64|c}} overseas for a worldwide gross collection of {{INRConvert|303.97|c}}, becoming the [[List of Hindi films of 2023|third-highest grossing Hindi film of 2023.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/the-kerala-story/box-office/|title=The Kerala Story Box office collection|access-date=13 June 2023|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=5 May 2023|archive-date=7 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507104414/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/the-kerala-story/box-office/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film performed well in northern India but underperformed in the south.<ref name="TheQuint" />
 ==Music==
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 [[Category:Religious controversies in film]]
 [[Category:Religious controversies in India]]
+[[Category:Islam-related controversies in Asia]]