Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday criticised the makers of The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Past, alleging that the sequel — like its predecessor — promotes divisive narratives with out factual foundation and dangers spreading hatred in society.Chatting with reporters in New Delhi, Tharoor described the primary installment, The Kerala Story, as a “hate-mongering movie” that lacked basis. He disputed the large-scale spiritual conversion figures cited within the authentic film, claiming they have been exaggerated.“The primary movie, Kerala Story, was a hate-mongering movie. It lacked any basis. They have been saying that 1000’s of individuals have been transformed, which isn’t true. I believe there have been round 30 such circumstances over a lot of years. Ours is a really large nation. If a case happens right here and there, it doesn’t suggest it’s best to flip it into an enormous story and use it as propaganda,” Tharoor mentioned.
‘Why unfold hatred?’ Tharoor asks
Drawing a distinction with earlier cinema, Tharoor referred to movies corresponding to Amar Akbar Anthony, which he mentioned celebrated communal concord and even acquired leisure tax exemptions of their time.“What’s the purpose of claiming issues that may solely unfold hatred in folks’s minds and usually are not even right? In our childhood, movies like Amar Akbar Anthony used to get leisure tax exemptions,” he mentioned.
Producer Vipul Shah hits again
Responding to the controversy, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah defended the sequel and questioned why movies are blamed for disturbing concord when real-life circumstances don’t set off comparable outrage.“I believe this can be very unhappy and ironic that such issues are raised solely when a movie addresses these points,” Shah advised PTI, citing current felony circumstances involving alleged spiritual conversions.He argued that if crimes are being investigated and prosecuted, portraying them in cinema shouldn’t be seen as a menace to social concord.“Precise crimes and the people accused of committing them don’t appear to spark the identical stage of shock about social disharmony. But a cinematic portrayal of those points is seen as a menace,” he added.
Authorized scrutiny and political backlash
The sequel, directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, is slated for launch on February 27. The not too long ago launched trailer explores themes of spiritual conversion, with tales set in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.Nonetheless, the movie has now come below authorized scrutiny. A petition difficult the trailer and its portrayal of Kerala has been filed earlier than the Excessive Court docket. Performing on the plea, the court docket has issued notices to the Ministry of Data and Broadcasting, the Central Board of Movie Certification, and the movie’s producer. The matter is scheduled to be heard on February 24. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan additionally criticised the mission, calling the primary movie “hate-mongering” and urging that the sequel’s launch be considered with “utmost gravity.”In a publish on X, he mentioned, “It’s stunning how fabricated narratives aimed toward inciting communal discord obtain a free cross, whereas vital expressions of artwork get gagged. We should stand united towards these makes an attempt to color our land of concord as a hub of terror. The reality shall all the time prevail.”