The Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has cleared the way for the release of The Kerala Story 2 (‘Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond’), staying an earlier order that had put the film’s release on hold.
The appeal filed by the producers was heard during a special late-night sitting by Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P V Balakrishnan. The bench accepted the producers’ contention that the teaser and trailer should not be considered part of the film itself while assessing its content.
Earlier, a Single Bench had stayed the movie’s release for 15 days following a petition that alleged the film contained misleading and defamatory references to Kerala. The court had also directed the censor board to re-examine the film. Challenging this directive, the producers approached the Division Bench seeking urgent relief.
The petition was filed by Sreedev Namboothiri, a resident of Chittariparamba in Kannur district, who argued that the film could tarnish Kerala’s image and potentially trigger law and order issues. The plea claimed the movie portrayed a section of society negatively and attempted to project the state as a centre of communalism and forced religious conversions.
With the Division Bench now staying the earlier restriction, the film’s release is set to proceed, bringing an end—at least for now—to the legal uncertainty surrounding its screening.
