Mumbai: ‘The Kerala Story’ director Sudipto Sen and producer Vipul Shah held a press conference with the crew and also some real-life victims of conversion in the state of Kerala. Speaking to the media, Sen said that there are two Kerala’s inside Kerala, one of which has beautiful landscapes, whereas the other, he said, is a terror network hub.
Sen, while answering a question at the press conference, said, “Two Kerala’s exist inside Kerala: one that is like a picture postcard, with backwaters, a beautiful landscape, Kalaripayattu, dance, and martial arts. The other Kerala, the northern part of Kerala (Malappuram, Kasaragod, and Kozhikode), which connects to south Karnataka, including Mangaluru, is a terror network hub.”
Adding to this, he said, “Instead of debating with us, being a journalist, if anything has come to your mind, go to Kerala, Go to Kasaragod; go to Kozhikode.
He further said, “Report from there, and you will know where the truth of this story is hidden.”
Vipul Shah, the film producer, while speaking at the press conference, said that there is a CNN documentary that shows that sharia law exists in many of the villages in the state.
He further said, “We are talking about the state, which has a 100% literacy rate, where many villages practice sharia law.”
One of the victims, while addressing the press conference, said that there is definitely documentation of the people who converted and joined ISIS from Kerala. Citing the examples, she said one of them has been recently mentioned by the chief minister of the state, Pinarayi Vijayan.
She further said it is not just that, there are also recorded cases of love jihad in which girls were found dead in suspicious situations.
The film has faced a lot of backlash since its trailer emerged, with politicians calling it a propoganda film. The CM of Kerala had also called it a propaganda movie. The film faced criticism when the trailer changed from saying “heartbreaking and gut-wrenching stories of 32,000 women” to then changing it into “the true stories of three young girls from different parts of Kerala.
West Bengal had called for a ban on ‘The Kerala Story,” citing reasons to maintain peace and prevent any hate crimes and violence from happening. Tamil Nadu theatre owners also stopped screening the movie, citing law and order issues.
Amidst all the criticism, it has also garnered support in states like Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, where the movie has been declared tax-free for the people.
The Kerala Story has till now made over Rs. 150 crore and is considered to be one of the biggest hits at the box office.