The Kerala High Court on Tuesday found that the film The Kerala Story 2 - Goes Beyond depicts Kerala in a way that casts the state’s secular image in a “wrong light.” It was observed while the court was considering matters related to the film that has been fueling public debate about the narrative and its portrayal of sensitive social issues.
At the hearing, the bench pointed out that in Kerala, people of various religions and communities have peacefully inhabited the same land for a long time. The Court said any depiction that would lead to that conclusion should be treated with caution, especially on matters of communal relations. Kerala has a rich history of social and literary development and coexistence between the various religious groups.
The court’s comments indicated concerns that in cinematic terms, representations can shift the public’s view and particularly on matters that challenge the community’s shared sensibilities. As a follow-on documentary, the movie has garnered both praise and backlash. Its narrative, critics say, is threatening to distort ground realities and could have a negative impact on social cohesion. Supporters, though, say that is within the ambit of creative freedom and cinematic expression.
“The courts were to the effect of saying, ‘Of course, not immediately to prohibit our expression,’ but that the legal considerations that the petitions brought to a court’s attention should be carefully considered.”
The court highlighted the need to weigh the freedom to speak with the obligation that public telling imposes, especially in a diverse society. The issue will likely get future hearings in the next few days. What this means for the way films dealing with socio-religious themes are reviewed and regulated in the future, legal experts add.
