Kerala High Court Stays Ban on ‘The Kerala Story 2’ Release for Two Weeks

The Kerala High Court on Friday stayed for two weeks a single judge’s interim order that had put on hold the release of the film The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond for 15 days. A division bench comprising Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P. V. Balakrishnan passed the order after hearing an urgent appeal filed late Thursday night by the film’s producer, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, just hours after the initial stay was imposed. The bench had reserved its decision on Thursday night, and a detailed order is expected to be issued later.

In his appeal, Shah argued that the film does not harm or denigrate the state of Kerala or any religious community, maintaining that it merely highlights a social evil. His legal team also warned that halting the release would cause severe financial losses, noting that the movie was scheduled to open in around 1,500 theatres across India and more than 300 overseas on February 27.

The single judge had earlier ordered a stay citing a prima facie “manifest non-application of mind” by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) while granting clearance. The court had also expressed concern that the film’s content, particularly its teaser, could potentially distort public perception and lead to communal disharmony, stating that releasing it without further scrutiny by higher authorities could be legally improper.

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