Sangh Parivar’s reward for defaming Kerala: CM, Ministers slam jury for honouring 'Kerala Story'

While Malayalam cinema secured notable recognition at the 71st National Film Awards announced on Friday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and several state ministers have strongly criticised the jury's decision to honour the Hindi language film 'The Kerala Story' with two major awards. The movie, directed by Sudipto Sen, won accolades for Best Direction (Sudipto Sen) and Best Cinematography (Prasantanu Mohapatra).

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called the jury's decision “an insult to the proud legacy of Indian cinema, which has always upheld communal harmony and national unity.” He said the film, built on “falsehoods aimed at tarnishing Kerala’s image and spreading communal hatred,” reflects the Sangh Parivar’s larger agenda of using cinema as a tool for communal polarisation. “We strongly protest this move. Every Malayali and every believer in democracy must raise their voice against this injustice,” he added.

Tourism and PWD Minister P A Mohammed Riyas echoed the Chief Minister’s sentiments, describing the award for 'The Kerala Story' as “the Sangh Parivar’s reward for defaming Kerala.” He alleged that the film, “filled with fabricated narratives and communal propaganda,” was part of an orchestrated hate campaign against the state. “By honouring a film that promotes blatant falsehoods and division, both the jury and the central government have betrayed the values that cinema is meant to uphold,” Riyas said.

Education Minister V Sivankutty also expressed concern, stating that the recognition given to 'The Kerala Story' has diminished the brilliance of Malayalam cinema’s achievements this year. “Honouring a film steeped in hate and baseless accusations is deeply unfortunate. This isn’t justice to art — it’s a dangerous endorsement of efforts to divide society,” he said, warning against trends that undermine India's pluralistic values.

Despite the controversy, Kerala’s ministers warmly congratulated the Malayalam film industry’s award winners. Director Christo Tomy was lauded for his film 'Ullozhukku', which won Best Malayalam Film, while veteran actors Urvashi and Vijayaraghavan received praise for bagging the Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor awards, respectively.

'The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, was released in 2023 and sparked widespread debate for its portrayal of Muslim characters and alleged propaganda-driven narrative. Though it faced criticism for promoting communal stereotypes, the film became a commercial success, focusing on the controversial theme of alleged Kerala-based ISIS recruitments.