The Tamil Nadu Multiplex Association has announced their decision to stop screening The Kerala Story in the state from May 7. The announcement followed protests led by the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) demanding to halt the controversial film’s theatrical screenings in Tamil Nadu. Even shows that had already been scheduled were reportedly cancelled by multiplexes after the association announced the decision, citing potential law and order problems if the screenings continued. The Kerala Story, which was released on May 5, has been criticised for making false claims that thousands of women from Kerala were forcibly converted to Islam and recruited to the terror outfit ISIS.
On May 6, NTK party members held protests in Chennai, Coimbatore, Vellore and Puducherry, against the screening of The Kerala Story. Party leader Seeman, who led the protests, said that the film was made to denigrate Muslims and portray them as terrorists. Speaking to the media, Seeman said, “NTK members across Tamil Nadu will start purchasing tickets, enter the theatre and protest inside if the movie continues to be screened from tomorrow.”
In one such incident in Puducherry, NTK members entered a theatre after purchasing tickets for the film and protested while the film was being screened, raising slogans while holding up their party flags.
இசுலாமிய மக்களை இழிவுப்படுத்தி, இசுலாமியர் என்றாலே பயங்கரவாதிகள் போல சித்தரிக்கும் விதமாக உருவாக்கப்பட்டுள்ள #TheKeralaStory திரைப்படத்தை தமிழ்நாட்டில் திரையிடவேண்டாம் என்ற மக்களின் கடும் எதிர்ப்பையும் மீறி, திமுக அரசு திரையிட அனுமதி வழங்கியுள்ளதைக் கண்டித்து சென்னையில்… pic.twitter.com/qN4VzUtoG3
— சீமான் (@SeemanOfficial) May 6, 2023
A theatre owner from Tiruppur who wished to remain anonymous confirmed the decision of the Tamil Nadu Multiplex Association to stop screening the film. “One or two shows were screened on Friday and Saturday, but we are not screening it from Sunday. Apart from the protests held in some places, the film has no star value, and there wasn’t a big audience turnout either,” the owner added. The manager of a theatre in Madurai also corroborated this on the condition of anonymity and said, “The film hasn’t been doing well in Madurai, and no distributor here has bought the film. So there is no pressure on us to screen it.”
Meanwhile, a well-known film tracker who also wished to remain anonymous claimed that the advance bookings for the film in Chennai and Coimbatore picked up after its release on May 5. “The state government doesn't want to ban the movie, but they don't want it to run either. Multiplexes have informally understood this and are citing law and order situations as a reason for their decision," he said.
The Madurai theatre manager also alleged that the police had advised against screening the film. He said, “The police have asked us to be cautious if we decide to continue the shows, because of the opposition to the screenings.”
Citing artistic freedom and freedom of expression, the Kerala High Court had refused to stay the
release of the film on May 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has implicitly endorsed the film. Speaking at an election rally in Karnataka’s Ballari, PM Modi said, “It shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists' design. Congress is opposing the film made on terrorism and standing with terror tendencies.”
Following its release across India, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the film would be exempted from taxes in the state, claiming that it “gives an insight into the strategy of love jihad, conversion and terrorism.” ‘Love jihad’ is a conspiracy theory propagated by right-wing organisations claiming that Muslim men ‘trap’ Hindu and Christian women into marrying them and force them to convert to Islam. In 2020, the Union government had admitted in the Lok Sabha that no case of ‘love Jihad’ had been reported by any of the central investigation agencies, and that the term itself was not even defined under current laws.