In a major development today, the Kerala High Court has officially stayed the release of the film, which was scheduled to hit theaters tomorrow (Friday, Feb 27). The court has directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to re-examine the film's certification, throwing its entire release schedule into chaos.
Here is the complete breakdown of the legal drama unfolding right now.
The Court Order: "Concerns Appear Genuine" ⚖️
The Stay: Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas stayed the release of the film for 15 days, stating that the movie should not be released until the arguments are fully concluded.
The Reason: The court noted that the apprehensions expressed by the petitioners (who claim the film incites communal disharmony and unfairly targets the state) appeared "probably genuine" at this stage.
The Observation: The bench also orally observed that using the state's name in the title while claiming the film is based on facts could lead to communal tensions, noting that the teaser depicted the state in a "wrong light."
The Petitions & The Pushback 🛑
The Petitioners: Multiple pleas, including one from a Kannur native named Sreedev Namboodiri, argued that the film's tagline ("Ab sahenge nahin ladenge") and its portrayal of forced conversions are designed to invoke violence and disturb public order. They also demanded the removal of the word "Kerala" from the title.
The Makers' Defense: Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah strongly opposed the stay. In his affidavit, he argued that the petitions were "premature and misconceived," noting that you cannot judge a 2-hour-11-minute film based on a two-minute teaser. He maintained that the film is a pan-India story covering incidents in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala.
The Irony: It Already Faced 16 Cuts ✂️
The stay comes as a shock because the makers had already complied with strict censorship demands just days ago.
The CBFC Directives: The censor board had granted the film a U/A 16+ certificate only after demanding 16 cuts.
The Edits: This included reducing the visuals of violence and intimate scenes by 50%, muting certain dialogues, and adding a mandatory 2-to-3-minute on-screen disclaimer with a voiceover stating the film is "based on true events."
SantaBanta Verdict:
History is repeating itself, but with higher stakes. While the first Kerala Story managed to brave the controversies and score a ₹300 Crore box office run, the sequel is currently entirely at the mercy of the judiciary. If the stay isn't lifted immediately, the makers are looking at massive financial losses from canceled weekend shows across 1,800+ screens.
