The Kerala High Court on Friday vacated the interim stay imposed on the discharge of Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond, clearing the best way for the film’s theatrical rollout. A Division Bench of Justices SA Dharmadhikari and PV Balakrishnan put aside the order passed a day earlier by single-judge Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, who had stayed the film’s release for 15 days and directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to look at representations made against it.
Kerala HC Division Bench lifts stay on The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond
Justice Thomas had issued the interim stay at 3 pm on Thursday while hearing two petitions difficult the film. He observed that there was, prima facie, an absence of application of mind by the CBFC while granting certification and asked the Board to think about revision petitions inside two weeks. The order restrained the makers from releasing the film during this era.
Later that evening, at 7.30 pm, the Division Bench convened an urgent special sitting to listen to an appeal filed by the film’s producers. After a hearing that lasted over two hours, the Bench reserved its verdict and pronounced it at 4 pm on Friday, lifting the stay.
The petitions before the only judge had contended that the sequel misrepresented Kerala and had the potential to incite communal disharmony. One plea, filed by Kannur resident Sreedev Namboodiri, objected to the film’s title, teaser and trailer, alleging that certain themes and dialogues could trigger violence and unfairly stigmatise the State. He specifically flagged the teaser’s closing line — “ab sahenge nahin… ladenge” — arguing that it amounted to a call for confrontation.
One other petition by Freddie V Francis sought a ban on the film and challenged using the term “Kerala” within the title, contending that it falsely associated the State with terrorism and compelled religious conversion, despite the narrative involving characters from multiple States. The petitioner described the film as “marketing of hate” and questioned its claim of being based on true events.
In his interim order, Justice Thomas said that while courts are generally reluctant to interfere with film releases, judicial intervention becomes crucial where the alleged content has the real potential to disturb communal harmony.
Difficult the stay, the producers moved the Division Bench, stressing that the film was scheduled for international release on Friday. Senior Advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul and Elvin Peter, appearing for the makers, argued that the petitioners lacked locus standi to take care of an everyday writ petition as their grievances were in the character of a Public Interest Litigation.
They further submitted that CBFC certification carries a powerful presumption of regularity, that the film comprises a distinguished disclaimer, and that its narrative spans multiple States reasonably than focusing solely on Kerala. The counsel also argued that restraining the discharge of an authorized film prior to screening amounts to essentially the most extreme type of censorship, and that judicial precedents caution against such pre-release restrictions on free speech.
With the Division Bench vacating the interim stay, the film is now set to proceed with its release as scheduled.
Also Read: Kerala HC Division Bench hears appeal against stay on The Kerala Story 2; verdict reserved
More Pages: The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond Box Office Collection
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