Kerala Chief Minister Criticizes National Film Awards for Honoring 'The Kerala Story'

Controversy Surrounds National Film Awards

Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed strong disapproval on Friday regarding the recognition of the film The Kerala Story, which won two National Film Awards. He described the honor as a “grave insult” to the state.

Sudipto Sen received the award for best director, while Prasantanu Mohapatra was recognized as the best cinematographer for their work on the film.

The winners for the 2023 National Film Awards were revealed by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the same day.

Released in May 2023, The Kerala Story claims to portray the conversion of women from Kerala to Islam and their recruitment by the Islamic State. Initially, the filmmakers asserted that 32,000 women from Kerala had joined the terror group, but later modified the trailer to indicate that the film focuses on the true stories of three girls.

Vijayan criticized the jury for endorsing a film that he believes spreads misinformation with the intent to damage Kerala's reputation and incite communal discord. He accused the film of aligning with the divisive ideology of the Sangh Parivar, a reference to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its affiliated organizations.

In his social media statement, Vijayan emphasized that Kerala has long been a symbol of unity and resistance against communalism, and he urged all who value democracy to defend the truth and uphold constitutional principles.

Congress leader KC Venugopal also condemned the film, stating that it should be discarded as it promotes a harmful agenda that tarnishes Kerala's image. He claimed that the recognition of the film at the National Awards exemplifies how the ruling party fosters hatred from the highest levels of government.

Venugopal warned that Kerala would not tolerate such an insult from its own government, vowing that the people would respond decisively against the ruling party's actions.