BY THE WAY: Cinema or Catalyst?
The Battle Over the Kerala Story 2
Dr Noour Ali Zehgeer
Cinema was the cheapest entertainment in 1980’s and everyone would enjoy watching the movie with family and friends. Nowadays Cinema has become victim of cheap politics and people want to push their agenda or I may say fake agenda thru cinema, thus hurting the cinema, Art and creativity at core. The storm around The Kerala Story 2 began long before its release date. What should have been a routine promotional cycle has instead turned into a national flashpoint — igniting debates over propaganda, artistic freedom, communal harmony, and the moral responsibility of filmmakers in a fragile social climate.
At a press conference in Delhi, the makers introduced women they described as real-life survivors whose testimonies inspired the sequel. One woman, identified as Gauri, alleged that during a visit to the Mahim Dargah, she was given water she believes was drugged, after which she faced pressure to convert and marry. The allegation, still unanswered by shrine authorities at the time of reporting, spread rapidly online — deepening an already polarised atmosphere.
Director Kamakhya Narayan Singh has responded defiantly to critics who call the film politically motivated. A National Award-winning filmmaker, he insists the project is grounded in research and social intent. In a dramatic declaration, Singh stated he would quit filmmaking if the film is proven factually incorrect. It is a pledge that underscores both conviction and controversy.
Producer Vipul Shah has also sought to temper accusations that the film targets Kerala. Calling the state “God’s country,” he argues the narrative addresses coercive practices rather than maligning a region known for high literacy, progressive indicators, and longstanding interfaith coexistence.
Yet critics counter that intention cannot erase impact. Kerala has often been projected as a model of social development and communal balance. Opponents argue that narratives built around religious conversion risk reinforcing stereotypes and feeding mistrust, especially in an already polarized political climate. Legal scrutiny has reportedly reached the Kerala High Court, with notices involving the Central Board of Film Certification — a sign that the debate has moved beyond social media outrage into institutional arenas.
But this controversy is larger than a single film.
It reflects a growing pattern in Indian public life where cinema, politics, and identity are tightly interwoven. Films dealing with religion or historical grievances increasingly function as ideological battlegrounds. Supporters frame them as courageous truth-telling. Detractors view them as strategic storytelling — crafted less to inform and more to influence.
Some critics go further, suggesting that such projects may serve broader political narratives, particularly in states where ideological alignments differ from the national mainstream. These claims remain part of heated political discourse rather than verified strategy, yet they reveal a deep unease: that art is becoming an instrument in electoral chess.
The invocation of Mahatma Gandhi in public commentary adds moral weight to the debate. Gandhi’s philosophy centered on pluralism, truth, and nonviolence — principles that many believe should anchor India’s social fabric. For his admirers, the question is not whether difficult stories should be told, but whether they should be told in ways that heal rather than harden divides.
None of this negates a filmmaker’s constitutional right to expression. Creative freedom remains fundamental to democracy. But freedom without responsibility can fracture what it seeks to illuminate. Cinema does not merely entertain; it shapes perception. And in a society where identity politics is combustible, perception can quickly become reality.
As The Kerala Story 2 approaches release, the true measure of its impact will not be ticket sales. It will be whether it sparks thoughtful dialogue or entrenches suspicion. Whether it broadens understanding or narrows empathy.
Stories are powerful. In a nation as diverse as India, that power can either build bridges — or expose fault lines that were never fully healed.
(STRAIGHT TALK COMMUNICATIONS EXCLUSIVE)
