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In a dramatic legal twist, the Kerala High Court has allowed the release of ‘Kerala Story 2’ after vacating a 15-day stay imposed just hours earlier. The decision came after a rare late-night hearing, clearing the path for the film’s scheduled release.
Kerala HC lifts stay on release of Kerala Story 2 movie
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday allowed the release of the film Kerala Story 2 - Goes Beyond after a Division Bench set aside an earlier interim order that had halted the movie’s release.
A Bench comprising Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice PV Balakrishnan vacated the stay imposed by single-judge Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, clearing the way for the film’s release.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas had on Thursday afternoon ordered a 15-day stay on the film’s release while directing the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to examine complaints filed against the movie.
The petitions argued that the film’s content and promotional material could misrepresent Kerala and potentially incite communal tensions. The court had also asked the CBFC to consider revision petitions submitted by the complainants within two weeks.
Observing that courts generally avoid interfering with film releases, the judge nonetheless stated that judicial intervention becomes necessary if a movie’s content appears capable of causing communal disharmony.
Following the stay order, the producers of the film approached the Division Bench seeking urgent relief. Since the movie was scheduled for an international release on February 27, the court convened a rare special evening sitting at 7:30 pm on Thursday to hear the appeal.
The hearing lasted more than two hours before the Bench reserved its verdict. The decision was pronounced on Friday afternoon, vacating the earlier stay and permitting the film’s release.
One petition was filed by Kannur resident Sreedev Namboodiri, who alleged that the teaser and promotional materials contained dialogues that could provoke violence and unfairly portray Kerala in a negative light.
He specifically objected to a line in the teaser that translates to “we will not tolerate it anymore, we will fight,” claiming that such messaging could trigger communal tensions.
Another petition was filed by Freddy V Francis, who challenged the use of the word “Kerala” in the film’s title. Francis argued that the title wrongly links the state with terrorism and forced religious conversions, even though the film reportedly features characters from different states.
Senior advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul and Elvin Peter, representing the producers, argued that the petitioners lacked legal standing to file a regular writ petition, saying their grievances were more suited for a public interest litigation.
They also emphasised that CBFC certification carries a strong presumption of validity and pointed out that the film includes a disclaimer and portrays a broader narrative beyond Kerala.
The producers further contended that preventing the release of a certified film amounts to an extreme form of censorship that undermines freedom of expression.
