The Kerala Story banned in West Bengal, CM Mamata Banerjee directs removal of film from theatres

The West Bengal government has banned the film The Kerala Story two days after its release. The divisive film, based on religious conversion and love jihad, has courted controversy for weeks over claims of being a ‘propaganda piece’. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee announced its ban in the state on Monday.

On Monday evening, news agency ANI reported that CM had banned the film in order ‘to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and to maintain peace in the state’. A tweet from the agency read: West Bengal govt has decided to ban the movie 'The Kerala Story'. This is to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and to maintain peace in the state: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

This comes days after PM Narendra Modi had praised the film for showing ‘the true face of terrorism’. The film, which shows the story of three girls from Kerala who are lured into terrorism by ISIS and converted to Islam, has been received mixed reviews. Many have criticised its claim that 32,000 women from Kerala have faced religious conversion over the last few years.

A few protesters moved various courts against the film but both the Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court refused to stay the film’s release. The film has opened strongly at the box office, earning Rs 35 crore net in the domestic market in its opening weekend.

Directed by Sudipto Sen, The Kerala Story stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. The film focusses on three women from Kerala who are brainwashed into converting to Islam by ISIS. The film claims to be based on real events and the makers’ claim that this is the story of 32,000 such women has caused major controversy.