Vipul Shah's The Kerala Story 2 has been mired in legal troubles since its announcement. The film, starring Aditi Bhatia, Ulka Gupta and Aishwarya Ojha, was scheduled to hit theatres on February 27, 2026. However, it has been facing backlash for its portrayal of Indian Muslims. It has also been accused of defaming the state and exaggerating beef-eating claims. Read on to know the full controversy.
Updated On: 2026-02-26 01:06 PM IST
Compiled by : Aakruti Bagla
Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film shows young Hindu women are lured into interfaith marriages, only to be assaulted and forced to convert to Islam.
The trailer has sparked intense debate, drawing political attention as well. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan publicly criticised the film, calling it "false propaganda" and "poisonous".
Vijayan also warned of forces attempting to disturb the state’s peace, describing them as "enemies of the state" who are aiming to incite communal discord.
The film was granted U/A certification by CBFC after 16 major cuts were recommended. After this, a petition was filed in Kerala HC by Sreedev Namboodiri, a biologist by profession.
He arrayed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah as respondents in his writ petition.
The petitioner has claimed that the film was certified for public viewing by the CBFC allegedly without due compliance with the statutory mandate under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. Besides quashing of its certification, Namboodiri's petition also seeks certain modifications, including reconsideration of its title.
At the heart of the controversy is a scene in which one of the women is shown being forcibly fed beef. The image has become one of the most widely discussed moments from the trailer. Critics argue that the scene is designed to provoke an emotional reaction.
In a court hearing on 24th February, film producers counsel agreed to pull down the material due to backlash. However, the makers clarified that no teaser or trailer has been removed from any platforms. Production house Sunshine Pictures termed the circulating claims as “completely false, baseless, and misleading,” urging all to refrain from spreading unverified information.
The producer of 'The Kerala Story 2-Goes Beyond' has told the Kerala High Court that the pleas opposing the film's release are "premature, misconceived and not maintainable".
Anurag Kashyap, while condemning the film said, “The movie is propaganda and bull****. Aise kaun beef khilata hai?Aise toh koi khichdi bhi nahi khilata hai. The filmmaker is a greedy man. He just wants to make money.”
Prakash Raj also took a dig at the film. On Sunday,the actor posted images of pork, beef, and fish dishes on his X account. He wrote, “The real KeralaStory is how pork, beef and fish coexist with vegetarian sadya and all of them live in harmony."
Responding to the filmmaker and actor, director Kamakhya Singh gave a befitting reply. He calls Raj intellectually bankrupt, while claiming Kashyap is blind to the truth.
Amid the ongoing legal controversy surrounding The Kerala Story 2, the High Court has ordered the makers to stall the release of the film.
