When facts and fiction join forces, the result is always epic. Be it documentaries that use facts with a flare of fiction or films that centre around stories of real-life people. Produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and directed by Sudipto Sen, Kerala Story premieres in Indian theatres starting on May 5, 2023. Following the path laid out by several Indian crime drama series such as Kashmir Files, Kerala Story narrates a harsh incident that leaves the audience in a whirlwind.
It is Kerala Story, the latest Indian crime drama, that revolves around highly realistic characters. But are these characters real? Is Kerala Story based on a true story? What is the hype about? Well, the answers to your questions are discussed below!
Is Kerala Story Based On A True Story?
It might sound cliche but it is a fact nonetheless. Every coin has two sides and both of them are entirely opposite. Kerala Story is a live example of the above-stated fact. The producer, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, claims Kerala Story to be based on a true story of three non-Muslim girls who are forced to transform their religion. There have been several incidents that have happened in multiple countries regarding the same. The infamous terrorist organization ISIS is notorious for that. This is an undeniable fact but what brings us to today’s discussion is the extensive portrayal of extreme hatred and communal polarization.
The producer, Shah, and the entire team behind Kerala Story claim it to be centred around real-life characters and portray their journey. It mainly revolves around a Hindu religion-following nurse, Shalini (Adah Sharma), who is brainwashed into embracing Islam as her religion and works for the ISIS-ruled city, of Syria, by promoting their beliefs in India. It is worth noting that Kerala Story has no evidence to prove that it is based on a true story. With no shreds of evidence to back up its claims, it is safe to rule out Kerala Story as a fictional movie and not a cinematic representation of any real-life incident.
However, the debate is still heated with new claims thrown each day. While it is possible that the makers have used real-life incidents as inspiration, it is a highly stretched claim that Kerala Story is entirely based on a true story. 32000 women trying to promote jihad (a term associated with the belief of fighting against the enemies of Islam) without stirring any doubts? Indeed questionable.
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Kerala Story: The Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah Claims To Have Evidence, Where Are Those?
You must be having the same question, too. If Shah claims to have evidence that proves 32000 girls to be scorned and missing, how come no one knew about it for decades? Now, this film claims that these women are captured in Afghanistan. Shah has been adamant on his belief, continuously claiming that Kerala Story is based on the lives of three girls–Shalini (Adah Sharma), Gitanjali (Siddhi Idnani) and Nimah (Yogita Bihani–who are brainwashed by their classmate, Asifa (Sonia Balani) and lovers. He has picked out the three most heart-wrenching stories out of the 32000 available at his disposal. But how accurate are those claims? I would love to know that as much as you do.
In 2010, a political debacle ensued when an Indian minister claimed that 3200 Hindu and Christian girls were targeted and brainwashed into changing their religion every year. Shah uses this claim to back up his statement, asking the audience to do the math themselves. However, neither the minister nor Shah has been able to present any legal document that could help their claims. Yes, the story of the girls is reliable. Given that they currently reside in an Afghanistan prison, there is no way to know how tightly Kerala Story sticks to their story.
Major Questions And Controversies That Surround Kerala Story
Kerala Story isn’t just a matter of concern for film critics and geeks anymore, it has become a catalyst for a political battle, too. The ministers and chief ministers all claim that there has been no woman who is migrated to Syria or any other ISIS-empowered state forcefully. There have been no such religious conversions happening in Kerala and the makers, Shah and Sen, need to prove themselves. All these accusations have paved the way for a steaming political debacle.
Kerala State Committee of Muslim Youth League, a Kerala-based organization, has announced prize money of 1 crore to anyone who can prove the ISIS activists managed to lure any non-Muslim girl and transform her religion. Kerala Story isn’t just a film anymore, it is a direct attack on Kerala’s politics, police department and humanity. Whether it is a true story or a false allegation is yet to be unveiled though. However, the odds rely on the latter side given that Sen and Shah haven’t been able to prove their claims right yet.
Does Kerala Story Target A Specific Religion Purposefully?
Well, ain’t it the most important and the most heated question Kerala Story ignites? Does Kerala Story target a specific religion? Is it propaganda to forcefully portray love jihad (one of the most controversial words in India, specifying the religious transformation of a non-Muslim girl by making her fall in love with a Muslim guy) in Kerala?
Kerala is considered to be one of the most peaceful and picturesque states of India, having claimed to be Green Paradise as well. Are there really activists disturbing the peace of such a beautiful state by targeting the young women of Kerala? If there are over 32000 women being targeted by ISIS-based Muslim men, why are there no records? Why the government doesn’t know about it? And if they do, the timing of the film is quite accurate, isn’t it? Well, Sen and Shah, certainly don’t agree that Kerala Story targets a specific religion.
In fact, they claim that this movie possesses no ties with politics or targets any religion specifically. Though they are yet to back up their claims, there is no smoke without fire, right? Kerala Story does contain some real artefacts and its extremely graphic portrayal of the violence that ensued by the terrorist organization, ISIS, is appraised by critics as well. The question still remains, though. The foundation of the story is still a subject of controversy and its origin isn’t backed with any evidence so far.
Will Kerala Story Be Banned?
Kerala Story has been an ambitious project by Vipul and Sudipto. They researched for four years before beginning the production of the film. It took them several months–years, actually–to bring weave their imagination into a film. Of course, they never considered their project to be a source of such controversies. There exist several political communal polarization-based films and series that are extremely trending in India, Kerala Story is yet another addition to the genre. However, it isn’t being received as warmly as the makers expected it to be.
With the Indian ministers and several Kerala-based organizations, activists and lawyers jumping into the train, the future of the series is considered to be foggy. The movie is released in theatres and could be easily pulled off. But it doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. There has been a lawsuit filed against Kerala Story but the court has ruled it out and advised the petitioner to move the complaint to the accurate department.
As of now, there are no legal issues with Kerala Story. The political problems, however, are numerous–and are growing at a remarkable speed. For your answer, no, Kerala Story isn’t banned and won’t likely be banned either. It has stirred a heated controversy, how far would it go is yet to be seen though. As of now, the final verdict is, Kerala Story is just claimed–not proved–to be a true story.
Is Kerala Story A True Story: FAQs
It is an Indian crime drama film centred around the lives of three girls, Shalini, Nimah and Gitanjali who are forced to change their religion and work for ISIS as jihadis. They are currently incarnated in Afghanistan prisons.
The question is still in a heated debate with the odds claiming that Kerala Story isn’t based on a true story. However, the producer still claims otherwise.
It is directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.
If you are into films that deal with brainwashing, religious transformation and such, you can watch Kerala Story.
Yes, there is a trailer available for Kerala Story.
You can stream the series in Indian theatres. For online streamers, the wait will be prolonged. The OTT release date isn’t confirmed yet.
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