The forthcoming Bollywood movie 'The Kerala Tale' has sparked a huge political uproar, with the current Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, the opposing United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Congress party all expressing their disapproval of the film.  

The disputed movie illustrates the process of how numerous adolescent females were indoctrinated into becoming members of the Islamic State (IS) and travelling to nations such as Syria and Afghanistan.  

About The Kerala Story And Movie  

Sudipto Sen's film follows the journey of four female college students from Kerala who join the Islamic State.   

The movie is labelled as inspired by a true story, but the authenticity of the data displayed lacks concrete proof. It alludes to the controversial concept of Love Jihad in Kerala, where Hindu girls are purportedly enticed by Muslim men to convert to Islam.

On 3rd November 2022, the trailer was unveiled, featuring Adah Sharma portraying the role of Fathima Ba, a Hindu nurse from Kerala who adopted Islam and joined ISIS, ultimately landing in an Afghan prison. She claims to be one of the 32,000 girls hailing from Hindu and Christian communities who have gone missing in Kerala and have been recruited by ISIS after converting to Islam. However, these statistics are grossly inaccurate and based on flawed translations, misquoted statements, and mis interpreted data.  

The Factual And Accurate Story

As per a report by the Observer Research Foundation in 2019, around 60 to 70 people from Kerala had become a part of ISIS between 2014 and 2018. The Indian government's data shows that not more than 100-200 Indians had joined the organisation till date, which is one of the lowest figures for any country with a significant Muslim population. The 2020 terrorism report by the US Department of State had recorded that 66 people from India were associated with ISIS at that point.

The incidents portrayed in the movie appear to be influenced by four women from Kerala who converted to Islam and went to Afghanistan with their husbands to join ISIS between 2016 and 2018. They were among the 21 individuals from Kerala who joined ISIS in 2016 and have been detained in Afghanistan since they surrendered in 2019.  

Both the Indian National Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) - the only two parties to have ruled the state since Independence - have opposed the release of the movie for promoting communal misinformation. They have further accused the filmmakers of advancing the agenda of the Sangh Parivar to malign Kerala and propagate the notion of "love jihad", a Hindutva conspiracy theory. In response to the accusations, the producer Shah has stated that "we will provide evidence for everything we say" and that Sen had conducted extensive research for the film over four years. 

Opposition About The Movie  

V D Satheesan, the head of the opposition in the State Assembly, dismissed the assertions made by the filmmakers and stated that it was apparent that the forthcoming film aimed to defame the state's reputation globally.

The Congress leader insisted that the movie, which falsely alleges that 32,000 women in Kerala have embraced Islam and joined ISIS, should not be permitted to be exhibited.  

Conclusion And People Review 

According to Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, The Kerala Story is the culmination of extensive research and authentic accounts that have never been disclosed before. The film aims to reveal numerous concealed truths and raise awareness about the grave threat of radicalization that women in our country face. Will address various queries regarding the film's plot and setting. The trailer will showcase the protagonists' radicalization and loss of identity, providing the audience with a glimpse of what to anticipate from the movie.

The film aspires to be the voice of countless women worldwide who have been brainwashed and manipulated into terrorism and other offences. Adah Sharma leads the cast of The Kerala Story, which also includes Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. Sunshine Pictures Private Limited, established by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who serves as the Producer, Creative Director, and co-writer of the film, is financing The Kerala Story. The movie is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on May 5th, 2023. 

Following a complaint made by a journalist from Tamil Nadu to the chief minister of Kerala, alleging the spread of false propaganda against Kerala and the destruction of communal harmony, the Kerala state police chief Anil Kant instructed the Thiruvananthapuram City Police to initiate an inquiry based on a report by the hi-tech crime inquiry cell of the Kerala Police.

However, as of 15 November 2022, an FIR has not been registered on the advice of legal counsel.The film is currently under investigation as of 9 November 2022.