"The Kerala Story"
It is a Hindi-language drama film from 2023, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The movie features Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani in prominent roles. The storyline revolves around a group of women from Kerala who find themselves coerced into converting to Islam and joining the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The film is marketed as a true story but is based on the controversial "love jihad" conspiracy theory related to Hindutva, falsely claiming that thousands of Hindu women from Kerala have been converted to Islam and recruited into ISIS.
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"The Kerala Story" hit theaters on May 5, 2023, and managed to amass a global gross of ₹303.97 crore (equivalent to US$38 million), making it the fifth-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023. Notably, it received substantial support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which utilized the film as part of its campaign for the Karnataka assembly election. However, the film faced overwhelmingly negative reviews from film critics, who characterized it as Islamophobic propaganda. Protests and legal challenges also arose, particularly in Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.The plot of the movie follows Shalini Unnikrishnan, who converted to Islam, as she shares her journey from aspiring to become a nurse to being manipulated by extremist individuals in her college, posing as friends. Ultimately, she ends up joining ISIS and finds herself imprisoned in Afghanistan.
The cast includes:
- Adah Sharma as Shalini Unnikrishnan / Fatima Ba
- Yogita Bihani as Nimah
- Sonia Balani as Asifa
- Siddhi Idnani as Geetanjali
- Devadarshini as Shalini's mother
- Vijay Krishna as Ishak
- Pranay Pachauri as Rameez
- Pranav Misshra as Abdul
- Pranali Ghogare as Shaziya
The film was produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who also served as its creative director. It was released in theaters on May 5, 2023, and the digital streaming rights were acquired by ZEE5. Before its domestic release, the film underwent scrutiny by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and received an adult-only classification after several requested changes.
The movie's premise and factual accuracy have been a subject of controversy. While it loosely draws from the accounts of three Kerala women who converted to Islam and traveled to Afghanistan to join ISIS, the film's claims about the number of women involved are grossly inaccurate and have been widely disputed. In response to legal action, the filmmakers removed promotional materials that featured these erroneous figures. However, the film still repeated these claims, leading to further controversy.
The film's political impact was significant, with the ruling BJP supporting it and using it for political messaging during the Karnataka assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed the film, alleging a "conspiracy" and accusing the Indian National Congress of supporting terrorism. In contrast, political opposition, particularly in Kerala, came from parties like the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian National Congress, who accused the film of spreading communal misinformation.
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Public protests against the film occurred in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with reports of the film being discontinued in some theaters. Legal challenges also arose, with calls for a ban on the movie due to concerns of promoting communal disharmony. The bans were not upheld, but the filmmakers were required to add disclaimers stating that the figures in the film were inauthentic and that the movie was a "fictionalized" portrayal of real-life events.
In terms of critical reception, "The Kerala Story" was heavily criticized. Reviews labeled it as Islamophobic propaganda and described it as poorly made, poorly acted, and politically motivated. Critics accused the film of lacking nuance and perpetuating stereotypes.
Overall, "The Kerala Story" generated considerable controversy and debate, both politically and within the entertainment industry, due to its contentious subject matter and portrayal of events.
FAQ's
1. What is the plot of the Hindi film "The Kerala Story"?
The film follows a group of women from Kerala who are coerced into converting to Islam and joining ISIS, based on the controversial "love jihad" conspiracy theory.
2. Who directed "The Kerala Story" and who produced it?
Sudipto Sen directed the film, while Vipul Amrutlal Shah produced it.
3. Which actors are prominent in the cast of "The Kerala Story"?
Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani feature prominently in the film.
4. When was "The Kerala Story" released and how much did it gross?
The film hit theaters on May 5, 2023, and earned a global gross of ₹303.97 crore (US$38 million), making it the fifth-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023.
