Hyderabad: Film producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah's forthcoming film The Kerala Story has garnered media attention ever since its trailer was released. It revolves around the stories of Hindu women from Kerala who were converted to Islam and were trafficked to ISIS and other Islamic battle zones in 2018–2019. It reveals the circumstances behind the missing of over 32,000 women in Kerala who are believed to have been radicalized and sent on terror missions throughout India and the rest of the world. The movie's trailer triggered protests in Kerala and other regions of the nation, and certain political groups demanded a ban on the screening of the movie.
In an interview with a webloid, Shah discusses the controversy surrounding the movie because of its subject matter. Although he thinks that they are merely portraying the "truth" in the film, he feels that political parties have the right to voice their disapproval because it is "a sign of a healthy democracy."
When asked if it deterred him when some political groups demanded a ban on the screening of The Kerala Story, Shah said, "I believe in the law. The censor board has cleared the movie. Before granting us the certificate, they closely scrutinized the movie for approximately one-and-a-half months. We're happy that we have gone through this scrutiny. We are certain that each piece of evidence and document we provided to the final authority for film certification was accepted. It shows their acceptance of our truth. Even after that, if certain groups have concerns or wish to cause trouble, I believe it is best left up to the courts or any other legal body to make a decision. I think we followed the law exactly and did all that was required. So, there is nothing to worry about."
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Shah was further asked if there was anybody not agreeing with what was shown in the film. To this, he said, "According to what I've read, a Kerala minister has made a statement and given a call to ban the movie. Yet again, he has every right to criticize the movie if it doesn't reflect his or his party's beliefs. However, the censor board and the courts should decide whether or not to outlaw a particular movie. My understanding of the law is that a movie may generally not be prohibited after the censor board clears the movie. But if somebody still feels the need to outlaw it, then so be it. What can I say if a movie depicts a shady trap set for ladies that goes against a political party's ideology? They have the right and freedom to act in whatever they see fit. In my opinion, just because a movie is labeled The Kerala Story doesn't always indicate that it is against Kerala."
