Kerala HC lifts stay on ‘The Kerala Story 2’ film

The Kerala High Court stayed for two weeks the interim order halting the release of 'The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond', following producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s appeal, citing financial loss and denying harm to the state or any community.

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday stayed for two weeks its single judge’s interim order putting on hold for 15 days the release of ‘The Kerala Story 2-Goes Beyond’ film.

A bench of justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P V Balakrishnan passed the order on the appeal moved by the film’s producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah late Thursday night, hours after the movie’s release was stayed.

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The bench had reserved order in the appeal on Thursday night.

The detailed order is awaited.

Shah in his appeal had claimed that the film does not harm or denigrate the state of Kerala or any religious community.

“The film only portrays a social evil,” his lawyers had told the court.

Shah had also contended that if the film’s release was put on hold, it would “financially finish” the producers as the movie is set to be screened in 1,500 theatres in India and over 300 abroad on February 27.

The single judge had stayed the release of the film on the ground that prima facie there was a manifest non-application of mind to the requirement of law by the censor board, CBFC.

The judge also said that “the possibility of communal disharmony or denigration of a community also being prima facie involved in the movie”, its release without scrutiny by the higher authorities would be legally improper.

The court had further said that the content of the film’s teaser has “a prima facie potential to distort public perception and disturb communal harmony”.