Cinema

Trending: The controversial movie Kerala Story is coming to OTT! Here's when and where to watch!

By TNSCorrespondent, 15 February, 2024
The Kerala Story, zee5, OTT, Malayalam

(This article is authored by Alar)

The Kerala Story, a Hindi drama film that depicts the plight of three young women from Kerala who fall prey to Islamic radicalisation and join the IS terror group, is set to release on OTT finally after several months. The film, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani in the lead roles.

According to reports, the film is going to make its OTT debut at  ZEE5, on February 16, 2024. The film is based on  Shalini Unnikrishnan, a Hindu woman who converted to Islam after being influenced by her Muslim friends in college. She dreamed of becoming a nurse but was lured by the IS recruiters who promised her a better life in Afghanistan.

She soon realised the horrors of living under the IS regime and was tortured and imprisoned for trying to escape. The film has sparked a lot of controversy and criticism from various quarters, especially in Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, where the film’s shooting and release have faced legal and social hurdles.

The film has been accused of being Islamophobic, sensationalist and misleading, and of portraying a distorted image of Kerala and its people. The Government of West Bengal has banned a movie, stating that it is "hate speech" and citing intelligence reports that showed increased communal tensions among the audience.

The filmmakers have challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, and the ban has been temporarily lifted. However, two disclaimers have been added to the film - one stating that the figures in the movie are not authentic, and another stating that the movie is a fictionalized portrayal of real-life events.

The film’s makers, however, have defended their work and claimed that they have made the film with a sincere intention of raising awareness about the dangers of radicalisation and the need to protect the rights and dignity of women. 

 

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