'The Kerala Story': Shabana Azmi, Kangana Ranaut and Anupam Kher defend propaganda film

One of India's biggest states banned movie critics accused of stoking communal hatred and propaganda against Muslims but defended strongly by the ruling right-wing Hindu government. The Kerala Story claims that 32,000 Hindu and Christian women from the mixed-faith state of Kerala have converted to Islam and that some were recruited by the militant Islamic State.

Critics have called the film out for peddling lies aimed at fomenting communal polarisation and unrest. But the movie has been endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and seized on by Hindu hardliners who say its portrayal is accurate.

Many called for its ban while some Bollywood veteran actors are hopeful for Sudipto Sen's directorial's smooth run. Shabana Azmi and Anupam Kher alongside Kangana Ranaut are rooting for The Kerala Story's success. 

Shabana said it was as wrong as asking for a ban on Laal Singh Chadha, which starred Aamir Khan in the lead. The veteran actor tweeted, “Those who speak of banning The Kerala Story are as wrong as those who wanted to ban Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaadha. Once a film has been passed by the Central Board of Film Certification nobody has the right to become an extra-constitutional authority.”

Those who speak of banning #The Kerala Story are as wrong as those who wanted to ban Aamir Khan’s #Laal Singh Chaadha. Once a film has been passed by the Central Board of Film Certification nobody has the right to become an extra constitutional authority .

— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) May 8, 2023

Reacting to her tweet, Kangana wrote, “This is a very valid point except for the fact that no one asked for a ban on LSC people just didn’t want to see it for many reasons, the major reason was it was a remake of a very popular old Hollywood classic which most people had already seen."

This is a very valid point except for the fact that no one asked for a ban on LSC people just didn’t want to see it for many reasons, major reason was it was a remake of a very popular old Hollywood classic which most people had already seen … https://t.co/n4hLrMyZ9N

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) May 8, 2023

In an interview with ANI, Anupam said that he hasn’t watched the film yet, but added, “Again, I would say they are the same faces. I have not seen the film but I am happy that people are making films that are close to reality. And those who feel it is propaganda are free to make movies dealing with the subject they find perfect. No one is stopping them.”

West Bengal bans the film

The state of West Bengal, which has a larger population than Germany, on Monday, banned the movie, with chief minister Mamata Banerjee - whose party opposes Modi's - slamming it as a "distorted story". "This is to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and to maintain peace in the state," she told reporters in Kolkata.

The trailer for the Hindi-language film initially claimed that thousands of women had fled their homes "to be buried in the deserts" but as controversy mounted it was edited to say it was a story about three women from Kerala. But the closing credits still say it is "dedicated to the thousands of girls in Kerala and Mangalore who didn't come back home after their conversions".

Anurag Thakur, the information and broadcast minister, said the film showed "the reality of the militant Islamic State" and that by banning it, West Bengal was effectively siding with terror outfits that "lure women with love". "Everyone must see this movie to understand the agenda of these terror outfits who operate globally but do their recruitment in some parts of India," Thakur told broadcaster India Today.

Indian authorities have not previously expressed concern that thousands of their citizens may have joined the militant Islamic State, a prospect that would alarm counter-terrorism experts.

Multiplexes in the southern state of Tamil Nadu have also stopped the screenings of the movie fearing violence and unrest. The controversy comes after The Kashmir Files, about Hindus fleeing from Muslim-majority Kashmir in 1989-90, last year saw incidents of people in cinemas calling for revenge killings of Muslims.

India, the world's largest democracy, in January, banned the screening of a BBC documentary about Modi's role during the deadly 2002 sectarian riots in Gujarat, calling it "hostile propaganda and anti-India garbage".

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