The Kerala Story: High Court Rejects Plea For Stay On Adah Sharma Starrer Saying, “There Is No Allegation Against A Religion But Only Against ISIS” ( Photo Credit – The Kerala Story Poster )
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The Kerala Story, starring Adah Sharma in the lead, has been in the headlines since the first look was released. Owing to the film’s controversial storyline based on terror conspiracy, it has received massive backlash. Many filed a petition seeking a stay on the film’s release, the Kerala High Court has now issued a judgement on the petition.
As per the teaser of the film, nearly 32,000 women were recruited by ISIS from Kerala but not before those young Hindu women were radicalised and converted to Islam. On the day of its release, the show was cancelled in various regions around Kerala due to the intense backlash to the assertion.
As reported by News agency ANI, the Kerala high court refused to issue a stay order on the release of The Kerala Story. The bench comprising Justice N Nagaresh and Justice Mohammed Nias CP also observed that there was no allegation against religion but only against the Islamic State or ISIS organisation. While refusing to grant an interim order, Justice Nagaresh orally stated, “There is something called freedom of speech and expression. They have artistic freedom, we have to balance that also. What is there in the film that is against Islam? There is no allegation against a religion, but only against the organization ISIS.”
The Kerala Story’s trailer was viewed by the bench before quashing the stay order. The bench claimed no one community would find the film insulting. The court wanted to know if the entire trailer violated social norms.
“Nothing will happen just because the film is screened. The teaser of the film was released in November. What was offensive in the film? What is wrong in saying that Allah is the only God? The country gives citizens the right to believe in their religion and God and spread it. What was offensive in the trailer?” the court observed while considering a batch of petitions seeking to cancel the censor certificate of the film.
“So many movies have already come out about such organizations. There have been references against Hindu monks and Christian priests in many films before. Did you see all this in the way of fiction? What is so special now? How does this movie create sectarianism and conflict in society?” the court observed.
However, the petitioners asserted that the film might taint the minds of unintentional viewers. According to the petitioners, no organisation has yet learned that “Love Jihad” exists in Kerala. In “The Kerala Story,” Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani, and Sonia Balani play major roles.
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