The story so far: The Kerala Story, a film purportedly based on the instances of a few women joining the Islamic State, has been embroiled in a controversy ever since the teaser of the film was released in November 2022. The teaser led to widespread outrage because of its claim that 32,000 girls went missing in Kerala after being recruited by the radical Islamist group.
After a slew of petitions were filed before various courts in the country seeking a ban on the film, the filmmakers agreed to withdraw the teaser and carry a disclaimer that the film’s content is fictional.
The film was released in cinemas last week after the Kerala High Court declined to stay its screening, opining that it did not contain anything offensive to any particular community as a whole and that none of the petitioners had watched the movie. However, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has agreed to hear a petition challenging the Kerala High Court order on Monday.
