The Kerala Story is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The film stars Adah Sharma, Sonia Balani, Yogita Bihani, and Siddhi Idnani. The film is based on the alleged forced religious conversion and radicalization of women in Kerala.
Main Plot of The Kerala Story Movie:
The film follows the story of three young women from Kerala who are converted to Islam and join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The film is premised on the conspiracy theory of “love jihad”, and erroneously claims that thousands of women from Kerala are being converted to Islam and recruited into ISIS.
The film has been uniformly panned by reviewers who characterized it as propaganda. The film has been accused of spreading misinformation and hate speech against Muslims.
Here is a brief synopsis of the film:
- Shalini Unnikrishnan is a young woman who dreams of becoming a nurse. She is abducted by a group of men who convert her to Islam.
- Anju Thomas is a young woman who is in love with a Muslim man. She is forced to convert to Islam by her family.
- Priya Menon is a young woman who is radicalized by her friends. She joins ISIS and travels to Syria.
The three women are eventually reunited in a Syrian prison. They must work together to escape and find their way back home.
The film ends with a message of hope. The three women are able to escape from Syria and return to their families. They are determined to rebuild their lives and fight against the forces that have tried to destroy them.
The Kerala Story Controversy
The film has been mired in controversy since its release. Some critics have accused the film of spreading misinformation and hate speech against Muslims. Others have defended the film, saying that it is a work of fiction and should not be taken seriously.
The controversy surrounding The Kerala Story highlights the sensitive nature of the issue of religious conversion and radicalization. It is important to be aware of the different perspectives on this issue and to engage in respectful dialogue.
Here are some of the specific controversies surrounding the film:
- The film’s teaser claimed that more than 32,000 women in Kerala had been converted to Islam and radicalized by Islamic fundamentalists. This claim was disputed by fact-checkers, who found no evidence to support it.
- The film has been accused of spreading misinformation about Islam. For example, one scene in the film shows a Muslim woman spitting on her father after converting to Islam. This scene has been criticized for being offensive and inaccurate.
- The film has been accused of hate speech. Some critics have said that the film’s portrayal of Muslims is Islamophobic and that it could incite violence against Muslims.
The makers of the film have defended it, saying that it is a work of fiction and should not be taken seriously. They have also said that the film is not intended to spread hate speech or misinformation.
Read Also: 10 Most Controversial Bollywood Movies
The controversy surrounding The Kerala Story highlights the sensitive nature of the issue of religious conversion and radicalization. It is important to be aware of the different perspectives on this issue and to engage in respectful dialogue.
Banner Image