"My name was Shalini Unnikrishnan. I wanted to become a nurse to serve humanity. Today, I am Fatima Ba, an ISIS terrorist jailed in Afghanistan."Teaser of 'The Kerala Story'
The teaser of the film The Kerala Story has sparked outrage for allegedly portraying Kerala as a safe haven for terrorists, there by, tarnishing the state's image and fueling hatred among different communities.
What Is the Teaser of the Film The Kerala Story About?
The teaser of the movie released earlier this month, on 3 November.
It claims that over 32,000 women from the south Indian state were forced to adopt Islam, taken to the Islamic State-held areas in Yemen, Syria, and Afghanistan and forced to join terror organisation ISIS.
The teaser features actor Adah Sharma whose character in the film narrates her account on how she was abducted from her home and forced to become a terrorist. The film is directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.
What Is the Controversy Around The Kerala Story?
On 4 November, a Tamil Nadu-based journalist, BR Arvindakshan, wrote a letter to the country’s film certification board chief and others seeking a ban on The Kerala Story. He also sent a complaint to the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister and Secretary, asking them to check the veracity of the teaser.
Screenshot of the Tamil Nadu-based journalist BR Arvindakshan’s tweet
(Photo: Twitter)
Amid the row, after examining the teaser, the Kerala police found that many claims in it were made without any substance or evidence.
Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Anil Kant, on Tuesday, 8 November, directed Thiruvananthapuram Police Commissioner Sparjan Kumar to register an FIR against the crew of the film The Kerala Story. The FIR is based on a complaint sent to the state’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
In order to check the status of the complaint, The Quint reached out to the commissioner. On 15 November, he told that based on legal opinion, no FIR has been registered yet.
Congress Seeks Ban
The Congress has called for a ban on the film after the teaser of the movie sparked the row. The party’s leader VD Satheesan lashed out at the makers, calling it a clear case of misinformation and alleged that it has a "Sangh Parivar agenda." He also said if the Pinarayi government does not take any action, his party will approach the court.
According to reports, the film is based on the true story of four missing women from north Kerala who were later found in Afghanistan prisons following the reported deaths of their husbands.
(The article is updated after receiving a response from the Commissioner of Thiruvananthapuram city about the status of the complaint against the movie The Kerala Story)
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