The legal troubles surrounding ‘Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ intensified after the Kerala High Court issued an urgent notice to the producer. Vipul Amrutlal Shah on June 18. A new petition has challenged the film’s certification and demanded that the word ‘Kerala’ be removed from its title.Hearing the matter, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan questioned the relevance of the case at this stage, noting that the film had already been released and seen by many people. However, the petitioner’s lawyer Chelson Chembarathy argued that the issue remains important, especially because of the film’s digital release. According to Live Law reports, the court chose to defer arguments on whether the petition should be dismissed, despite the objections raised by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).‘Kerala Story 2′. Goes Beyond’ was released in theaters on February 27 after a high court lifted an earlier interim stay on its release. While the initial challenges against the film were eventually dismissed, the High Court last week formally closed the remaining appeals filed by the Central Government and the producer, declaring them fruitless.The Union Government and the CBFC had earlier approached the appellate court after a judge’s ruling declared that the petitioners have the right to challenge the film’s release through legal proceedings. Although the appeals were rejected, the court deliberately left no answer to a larger legal question — whether private litigants can challenge the certification of a film on the grounds that it harms a state’s reputation.In the previous hearing, the lawyer representing the producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah strongly defended the film and argued that the petition “must be decided.” Despite that principle, the latest plea invokes Sections 196, 197 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, saying the film promotes discord between religious and regional groups, threatens national unity and deliberately insults religious beliefs in a manner that disturbs public harmony.After the streaming release of the film on May 1, the petitioner also sought to add Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited as a party to the suit. The request includes additional material, such as a complaint sent to Zee Entertainment’s Content Grievance Redressal Officer and several social media screenshots. According to the petition, these online posts show the narrative of the film as true and are used to spread hate speech against Keralites and minority communities.With the High Court now seeking an answer from the producer, the legal battle has entered a new phase. The court is expected to examine several aspects of the controversy, including the film’s title, CBFC certification, OTT release and the newly submitted digital evidence.Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures, ‘Kerala Story 2. Goes Beyond’ follows the journey of three young women portrayed by Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha.
Can you believe the title Kerala Story 2? Should Goes Beyond be revised?