- The Kerala Story 2 released last week amid controversy and legal challenges
- The Kerala Story director Sudipto Sen criticised the sequel as based on "WhatsApp forwards"
- Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah rejected Sudipto Sen's claims
The Kerala Story 2 finally released last week following a lot of controversy. The film, directed by Kamakhya Singh Narayan and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, was caught in the legal crosshairs after a petition was filed against it alleging that the movie maligns Kerala and its people. A particular scene of a Hindu woman being force fed beef became the bone of contention.
The Kerala Story director Sudipto Sen also waded into the controversy, calling the sequel a result of "WhatsApp forwards".
Days after his comments, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah has bit back at his previous collaborator.
"I would say grapes are sour. To be very honest, I have never spoken about this, but I would like to put it to rest. He had written a script about The Kerala Story 2, which was absolute trash. And I did not want to make that film, and that is why I went ahead with Kamakhya (Narayan Singh), he told India Today.
"He (Sudipto Sen) doesn't even know what research we have done. He was not part of the entire research process. So, how can he make those comments? I don't usually comment but when somebody attacks my film, that is when I'm compelled to react. Otherwise, I don't like to react. The film was released, and I know of these statements that he's made, they're baseless. That's all I can say," he added.
Sudipto Sen, who is promoting his upcoming film Charak, was asked why he didn't return for the sequel of The Kerala Story.
"For the first film, I researched the subject for 10 years. I could stand by every word and visual in that film. If the sequel expands beyond Kerala into other states, I cannot rely on WhatsApp forwards or newspaper reports. Sensitive subjects require deep research and long-term study. Without that foundation, I wouldn't feel responsible enough to direct it."
Before its release, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised The Kerala Story 2, calling it "false propaganda" and "poisonous".
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