- The Kerala Story 2 trailer shows a Hindu woman being force-fed beef by a Muslim family
- Actor Prakash Raj highlighted Kerala's food diversity promoting harmony on Instagram
- Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap criticized the film as propaganda and nonsensical
The upcoming film The Kerala Story 2 has sparked strong reactions ever since its trailer was released.
What's Happening
- A scene in the trailer, which shows a Hindu woman being force-fed beef by a Muslim family, triggered sharp criticism in Kerala.
- Several political and cultural voices have since weighed in on the issue.
- On Sunday, actor Prakash Raj addressed the controversy on Instagram. He shared pictures of pork, beef and fish dishes and wrote, "The real #KeralaStory is how pork, beef and fish coexist with vegetarian sadya and all of them live in harmony. Please relish #justasking happy Sunday everyone."
Background
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap also criticised the film. He said, "The Kerala Story is a s** movie. It is bull* propaganda. Total bull**. Aisa kaun beef khilata hai? Aisa koi khichdi bhi nahi khilata hai (Who feeds someone beef like this? No one is fed even khichdi in this manner). Bakwaas (nonsense) picture. It is called crap."
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued a statement condemning the portrayal of the state.
"We must collectively reject attempts to portray Kerala, a land of religious harmony that stands at the forefront of sustainable development and is a model in maintaining law and order, as a center of terrorism. It is the responsibility of each of us to ensure that Kerala's secular foundation is not undermined by false propaganda and to reject it by upholding the values of secularism and brotherhood," Vijayan added.
The controversy has also seen protests on the ground. Left organisations such as DYFI and SFI organised beef festivals serving beef and parotta, stating that the film promotes communal hatred and misrepresents Kerala.
The Kerala Story 2 has received a U/A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). According to the makers, the film explores the issue of forced conversion rackets and is based on real cases from the Indian legal system.
The first instalment of the franchise, directed by Sudipto Sen, reportedly earned over Rs 3 billion at the box office.
Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the sequel is scheduled to release in theatres on February 27, 2026.
