The Kerala Story’s director and producer responded to the developments after the Supreme Court issued a stay on the West Bengal Government’s ban on the movie. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was persuaded to view the movie with the crew by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who supported and served as the film’s creative director. Director Sudipto Sen, on the other hand, referred to the ban as “illegal” and applauded the Supreme Court for its decision.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Vipul averred, “With folded hands, I would like to tell Mamata Didi to watch this film with us and discuss with us if she finds anything as such. We would like to listen to all her valid criticisms and present our point of view…This is democracy that we get to talk about. We can agree to disagree. We can discuss our difference. This is my request and we will be waiting.”
“No state can ban a film after it is passed by the Censor Board. This ban was illegal. Supreme Court proved once again that everyone has the right to watch the film, you may or may not like it but you can’t stop someone forcefully. We always trusted the Supreme Court…Thank you to everyone who supported us, including the people of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu who reached out to me. They can watch the film tomorrow,” said Sudipto Sen.
The Kerala Story has been outlawed in the state as of May 8, according to Mamata Banerjee. She stated: “West Bengal govt has decided to ban the movie The Kerala Story. This is to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and to maintain peace in the state.”
The Supreme Court ordered its producer to include a disclaimer stating the film was a “fictionalised version” and that there was no evidence to support the assertion that 32,000 Hindu and Christian girls had converted to Islam. On Thursday, the Supreme Court stayed its prohibition in West Bengal. The movie will now be shown in West Bengali theatres. The court further ordered Tamil Nadu to make sure that moviegoers are adequately protected.
