Sudipto Sen’s directorial The Kerala Story has got the nation divided. The controversial movie has become a bone of contention of sorts for BJP-ruled states and those ruled by the Opposition parties. Some states have banned its screening even after the Supreme Court ruled in the film’s favour and refused to put a stay on its release as it has been cleared by CBFC. Now, The Producers Guild of India has expressed its strong objection to state-enforced ban on the film.
In its statement, The Producers Guild of India wrote, “The Producers Guild of India is distressed by, and would like to record its strong objection to state-enforced bans on The Kerala Story. As emphasized by us on several occasions in the past, film releases are regulated by CBFC and any film that complies with its statutory requirement should face no further hurdles in having the public decide on its fate. Of course, the audience can choose to watch or ignore any film but that is a choice that should be theirs to make, not one that is imposed on them by any party other than CBFC. We call upon all the relevant authorities to urgently address this all-too frequent phenomenon of films being denied their right to unfettered, nation-wide exhibition despite having duly complied with regulatory requirements.”
Official Statement by Producers Guild of India pic.twitter.com/im36aRX9WP
— Producers Guild of India (@producers_guild) May 9, 2023
Non-BJP ruled states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan have put a stop to the screening of the film fearing it may incite violence. On the other hand, BJP ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have announced the film tax free. The Kerala High Court has refused to ban the film's screenin in the state and it is successfully running in the state's cinema halls.
The Kerala Story stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani and Siddhi Idnani and deals with forced conversions of girls into Islam and subsequent terrorism. It is produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.
