The 2023 release of The Kerala Story set off a nationwide debate and a litany of court cases. 2026 looks like the next page of history. Back in Kerala to turn on to screen for the second edition of The Kerala Story on February 27, 2026, the issue has reared its head again under Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who has warned against a “communal agenda.”
CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Warning. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who addressed the issue on social media, said the media speculation over the sequel’s release must be taken "very seriously." He claimed that the filmmakers had been working to poison the secular soil of Kerala.
“The people of Kerala, who have seen the communal agenda, who have seen the blatant lies in the first part of this film, will once again refuse to see this film which does not match our secular structure,” Vijayan tweeted. “Fictional narratives meant to stimulate social animosity” are propped up, he said, while critical artistic expressions are all too often repressed. He called on residents to unite against attempts to present “our peaceful land as a hotbed of terrorism.”
The reports regarding the release of a sequel to the hate-mongering film 'The Kerala Story' should be seen with utmost gravity. Having already seen through the communal agenda and blatant lies of the first part, Kerala will once again reject this attempt to demonise our secular…
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) February 19, 2026
Trailer Sparking Tensions
A trailer for The Kerala Story 2 is released today and has already gone viral, amassed millions of views and received heavy criticism. Like its predecessor, the sequel takes a similar sensitive stance on issues surrounding “Love Jihad” and forced religious conversions. The trailer highlights stories of young Hindu women enticed into romantic entanglements and unions, only to be converted and traumatized physically and mentally.
The filmmakers would even claim that the story was based on real-life incidents — something that continues to generate fierce contention with the state government and social activists; it’s the story itself. Cast, crew and production details. The first one was directed by Sudipto Sen and the sequel by Kamakhya Narayan Singh. But what the project’s man of vision has left behind is Vipul Amrutlal Shah, producer of Sunshine Pictures. The cast will also be a refreshingly fresh one, which includes:
- Aditi Bhatia.
- Aishwarya Ojha.
- Ulka Gupta.
This time production value seems to be higher with the sequel, based on a more gritty and realistic vision of the alleged conversion rings.
A High-Stakes February Release
Based on the 2026 release date of February 27, the film is expected to be challenged in many High Courts and should be faced with such scrutiny similar to what was faced with the 2023 film. Supporters of the film make the same argument that it shines a light on hidden truths, but opponents have turned them like a propaganda tool used to split up communities and divide them into two factions. In Kerala, where political heat is boiling over, viewers are watching the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the judiciary at a critical moment to find out where the line lies as far as freedom of expression and communal harmony is concerned.
