SC to hear plea against Kerala HC order on ‘The Kerala Story’ on May 15

NEW DELHI:

The Supreme Court will hear on May 15 a plea against the Kerala High Court order refusing to stay the release of the controversial multilingual film “The Kerala Story”. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Tuesday mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha, reports said.

When the bench inquired whether the high court has passed an order in the matter, Sibal said it has refused to stay the release of the film. “We will keep it on Monday (May 15),” the bench said. On May 5, the high court refused to stay the release of the movie and said the trailer does not contain anything offensive to any particular community as a whole.

The high court noted the producers’ submission that they do not intend to retain an “offending teaser” which contained a statement that “32,000 women” from Kerala were converted and joined a terrorist organisation. It said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has examined the movie and found it suitable for public exhibition.

The high court also noted that the producers have published a disclaimer along with the movie which specifically says it is fictionalised and a dramatised version of events and that the film doesn’t claim accuracy or factuality of historic events. “The Kerala Story” starring Adah Sharma was released in cinemas on Friday.