In a dramatic legal turnaround, the Kerala High Court on Friday allowed the release of The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond, setting aside the 15-day stay that had been imposed a day earlier by a single-judge bench.
The Division Bench of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan passed the order after an urgent and extended hearing, giving major relief to producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah and the film's team.
On Thursday, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, hearing writ petitions filed by Sreedev Namboodiri and Freddy V. Francis, stayed the film's release. The single-judge bench had raised concerns over the CBFC's U/A certification, observing that there appeared to be a lack of proper application of mind and noted the possibility that the film's content could affect communal harmony and portray Kerala in a negative light. The Centre was asked to consider the petitioners' representation before the film could be screened.
Within hours of the stay, the makers moved the Division Bench in appeal. Representing the producer, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul argued that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) — a statutory expert body — had cleared the film only after directing multiple cuts and replacing portions of footage.
He stressed that a last-minute halt would cause severe financial damage, as the film had already been scheduled for release in around 1,500 theatres in India and over 300 overseas.
During the hearing, the bench repeatedly questioned the petitioners on how the film directly violated their personal legal rights. The judges observed that the issue appeared to be in the nature of a broader public concern rather than an individual grievance.
The petitioners had objected to the film's title and teaser, arguing that it could stigmatise Kerala and disturb public order. They also claimed the narrative misrepresented the state's social fabric. The makers, however, maintained in court that the film does not target any community and addresses what they described as a social issue.
After hearing both sides for more than two hours in a special evening sitting, the Division Bench reserved its order and delivered the verdict on Friday, vacating the interim stay and restoring the film's path to release.
With this ruling, the uncertainty surrounding The Kerala Story 2 ended within 24 hours, and the film — directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh — is now set to hit theatres as planned.
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