Supreme Court's shocking order on Controversial Movie 'The Kerala Story'

The petitioner in PIL had urged the court to direct Controversial movie's director, production company to remove certain statements from film.

The Supreme Court has refused, for the third time, a petition to challenge the CBFC certification granted to the controversial movie 'The Kerala Story', scheduled for release on May 5. The court said that it is for the market to decide if the movie is up to the mark, as producers have invested money in the film and actors have dedicated their labour to it. The movie revolves around alleged radicalisation and conversion of young Hindu women to Islam in Kerala, before inducting them into terrorist outfit Islamic State (IS). The petitioners, including 'Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind', had moved the high court against the teaser and trailer of the film, urging the court to direct the movie's director Sudipto Sen, its producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, and the production company Sunshine Pictures to redact or remove certain statements, particularly those claiming that the film was inspired by true stories and that 32,000 women from Kerala were converted to Islam and had joined the IS.

Plea of  Controversial Movie 'The Kerala Story' rejected by the Apex Court

The plea seeking a stay on the movie's release was first mentioned on May 2, which was refused by the apex court. The plea was said to be a "worst kind of hate speech” and an “audio-visual propaganda”. The matter was mentioned again for urgent listing on May 3, but the court refused to entertain it, asking the petitioners to move the high court. Today, the petitioner mentioned the matter out of turn, contending that the acting chief justice of the Kerala high court had said he would assign a bench but the bench could not take up the matter. The bench said that the high court has already applied its mind and passed a detailed order declining to stay the movie, and that the CBFC has already certified the film.

Care Must Be Taken While Staying Exhibition of Controversial Movie

The bench, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala, observed that challenges are faced by film producers, and at the end, somebody has invested money, and the actors have dedicated their labour. They added that courts must be careful while staying exhibition of films, and that the market will decide if the movie is up to the mark.

High Court's Stand on the Plea of Controversial Movie 'The Kerala Story'

The high court had listed the matter for hearing on May 5, the day set for the release, and had given time to the counsel appearing for the Centre and the censor board to obtain the CBFC's stand on the plea before the next date of hearing.