The Kerala Story 2: Kerala HC issues notice to producers amid petition challenging its censor certificate

3 min readMumbaiFeb 19, 2026 09:38 PM IST

The highly controversial The Kerala Story is back , with its sequel, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, slated for release in theaters next week. Like its predecessor, the film has once again found itself at the centre of legal disputes. On Thursday, the Kerala High Court issued a notice to the producers in response to a writ petition challenging the certification of the movie. The petition raises concerns over the film’s promotional assets, which reportedly depict women from several states being lured into relationships and coerced into religious conversion.

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The petitioner, Sreedev Namboothiri, a native of Chittariparamba in Kannur district, claims that while the storyline spans multiple states, the film repeatedly links alleged incidents of terrorism, forced conversion, specifically to Kerala. The complaint also highlights the teaser’s concluding line: “Ab sahenge nahin… ladenge (We will not tolerate it anymore… we will fight),” which, according to the petition, could be interpreted as a call for retaliatory action with the potential to stir communal tension.

The peition further contends that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) did not adequately apply the statutory safeguards outlined in Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. This section prohibits certification of films that threaten public order, morality, decency, or are likely to incite criminal acts. The petition also references the legal battles surrounding the first installment of The Kerala Story in 2023.

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During proceedings in the Supreme Court, the producers had agreed to include a disclaimer clarifying that certain figures mentioned in the film lacked verified data and that the story was a fictionalized account. The petitioner argues that despite the controversies and judicial scrutiny faced by the original film, the sequel has received certification without sufficient review of its potential impact on communal harmony.

As relief, the petitioner has requested that the certification be quashed and that the CBFC reconsider it, taking into account statutory and constitutional safeguards. They have also sought a suspension of the film’s release until the revision petition is resolved or, alternatively, the implementation of modifications, including reconsidering the title and adding appropriate disclaimers. The court has scheduled further consideration of the matter on Tuesday.

Recently, even Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, voiced concerns over the release of the sequel, describing it as “made with the agenda of spreading hatred against Kerala” and calling the matter serious. He in a statement said: “The release of a second part of ‘The Kerala Story’, which was made with the agenda of spreading hatred against Kerala and insulting our secular traditions, should be seen seriously.”

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He added that the first film, which he described as “filled with lies, hate, and anti-Kerala propaganda and produced with communal motives,” had been widely rejected by the people of the state.

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