The release of The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond has been halted after the Kerala High Court stayed the film for 15 days. The decision came after concerns were raised about the content of the movie and its possible impact. As a result, tickets that were booked earlier in the day are now being refunded, and the film has not been released in theatres.
The legal development has directly affected producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s much-talked-about sequel, which was scheduled for release this week.
Ticket Refunds Confirmed By Petitioners’ Lawyer
Advocate Maitreyi Sachidananda Hegde, who represents one of the petitioners opposing the film’s screening, confirmed that the movie is not playing in theatres. She also clarified that the ticket money is being refunded to viewers who had booked seats earlier.
In the morning, she had informed the court that ticket bookings were still open despite the stay order. She even said she would consider filing a contempt plea if the film was screened. However, after checking the situation later in the day, she confirmed that theatres were not showing the film and refunds were being processed. Because of this, no contempt plea will be filed against the producer at this stage.
Why The Kerala High Court Stayed The Film
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas ordered a 15-day stay on the release of The Kerala Story 2. The court observed that there appeared to be a lack of proper application of mind by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) while granting certification.
The judge also pointed out that the teaser of the film had the potential to disturb communal harmony. The court felt that releasing the film without further scrutiny from higher authorities would not be legally proper. These observations led to the temporary halt on the film’s release.
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The court’s remarks focused mainly on whether the film’s content could affect public perception and create disharmony among communities.
Producer Vipul Shah Moves Division Bench
Following the stay order, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah approached a Division Bench of the High Court late at night. The appeal was heard by Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P.V. Balakrishnan.
After hearing arguments from all sides, the Division Bench reserved its order. However, it did not issue any interim relief that would allow the film’s release. This means the earlier stay by the Single Judge continues to remain in effect.
For now, The Kerala Story 2 remains unreleased. The final decision will depend on the order from the Division Bench. Until then, theatres will not screen the film, and ticket refunds will continue wherever bookings were made.
Author: Purnima s
Purnima | Entertainment Blogger 4+ yrs writing fun blogs on movies, celebs & trends. Pop culture addict serving fresh, binge-worthy content!
