The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah has reacted hours after the Kerala High Court cleared the film for release. Speaking with reporters on Friday, Vipul Amrutlal Shah opened up on when people could start watching the film. He also clarified that the film doesn’t show “anything negative about Kerala or its people.” Vipul also expressed his gratitude to the Kerala High Court.
Vipul Amrutlal Shah reacts after Kerala HC order on his film The Kerala Story 2
The producer praised Kerala, and Vipul said, “Neither our film, nor I, nor anyone in my team is against the state of Kerala or the people of Kerala. Kerala is a beautiful place, a God-loving country, but if something wrong is happening in this God-loving country, it is our endeavour to bring it to the notice of the people and correct it. I promise you that if you watch the film, you will understand that we have not said anything negative about Kerala or its people in this film.”
He added, “This film exposes some criminals. Some criminals live in Kerala, some are from Madhya Pradesh, some are from Rajasthan, and that’s why we named this film The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond, I assure them that when you watch the film, you’ll realise we’re not portraying Kerala in a negative light at all.”
Vipul talks about film’s shows
“Today Kerala divisional bench has dismissed the stay that we received yesterday. They have cleared the way for the film’s release. Our shows have already started opening. The film has been made with much hard work. I believe the biggest proof of our film’s authenticity is that the Kerala court lifted the stay order. Had it been a lie, the court would have watched it and wouldn’t have taken this decision. So I am deeply grateful to the Justice of the Kerala court,” he added.
What is the latest order of the Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court on Friday paved the way for the release of the film by staying the single-judge order that had put the movie’s screening on hold for 15 days. A bench of justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P V Balakrishnan passed the interim order on the appeal moved by Vipul late Thursday night, hours after the release of the movie was stayed.
In its order, the bench said that the single judge’s finding that guidelines for certification have not been borne in mind by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) was “merely on the basis of a few clippings and without viewing the movie” and therefore, it “cannot be countenanced”.
“That apart, the fact that insertions, excisions and modifications have been carried out by the appellant (Shah) in the movie as per the directions of the CBFC would only further reinforce the fact that there is an application of mind from the part of the Board while granting the certificate,” the bench said.
It further stated that once a certificate has been issued, there is, prima facie, a presumption that the authority concerned has taken into account all the guidelines, including those relating to public order. “… if, due to the release of the movie, any issue of public order arises, it is the duty of the state to maintain it,” the bench said.
The court also said that this presumption includes that the film has been judged in its entirety from the point of view of its overall impact, by taking into consideration the principles enunciated in the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the relevant guidelines. “In such circumstances, merely on the basis of a few clippings and without viewing the movie, the finding of the single judge that the guidelines for certification have not been borne in mind by the CBFC while granting certification, cannot be countenanced.
“In the light of the foregoing discussions, we are of the view that the impugned order dated February 26, 2026, interdicting the release of the movie is only to be stayed, and we do so. Ordered accordingly,” the bench said.
What did Vipul earlier plead
Vipul, 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. He 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.
