Filmmaker Vipul Shah has said he decided to make a sequel to his controversial 2023 film ‘The Kerala Story’ based on forced conversions because he wanted to highlight a “much broader threat”, which he says is not limited to Kerala but extends across the country. Shah said that after the first film, he received many such stories from different parts of the country, which made him feel that this issue is not limited to Kerala only.
Film released in theaters after controversies
This thinking gave birth to ‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’, which was released in theaters last week amidst huge controversy. The film tells the story of three Hindu women from different states who marry Muslim men despite family opposition and are later forced to convert. Shah has produced it through ‘Sunshine Pictures’ banner. He said that there were no plans to make a sequel after the first film. The first film had grossed over Rs 300 crore at the box office and won two National Awards.
Shah said in an interview to ‘PTI-Bhasha’, “There was no plan to make ‘Kerala Story 2’. But after ‘Kerala Story 1’ we started getting many stories. Then I realized that this problem is not limited to Kerala only, but is widespread across the country. We felt it was important to tell this story because it is much broader and different than what was shown in the first film. That’s why we decided to make a second part.”
He said, “It was not a marketing ploy of ‘let’s make the second part, the first film was well received, now let’s take it forward.’ It was not like that at all.” The first film based on the theme of religious conversion and radicalization of girls was directed by Sudipto Sen, while its sequel has been directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh. When asked whether there will be a third part of this film, Shah said that at present there are no concrete plans in this regard. He said, “But if in the future we come across any impressive and solid stories or some new facts come to light, then it is possible that we may want to make a film on that subject as well.” But at present there is no such plan.
‘The Kerala Story 2’ was embroiled in controversies even before its release. As soon as the trailer came out, it started being criticized calling it a propaganda to spread hatred. A single bench of the Kerala High Court had put a 15-day stay on its release, which was later lifted by the division bench and allowed its release. Shah alleges that some groups in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are pressurizing theater owners to remove the film from theaters, which he says is a violation of freedom of expression and the court order.
Apart from this, Shah told that he has recently finished the shooting of Manoj Bajpayee starrer ‘Governor’ and he is preparing for ‘Hisaab’ with his wife Shefali Shah and Jaideep Ahlawat. According to Shah, ‘Hisaaab’ is a unique and entertaining bank robbery story, which has never been seen before in Indian cinema.