Protests, cancellations, low response mark opening day of 'Kerala Story 2'

Following the Kerala High Court's decision to lift the stay on 'Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond' theatres—primarily multiplexes—have begun screening the controversial film. However, unlike the first film ‘Kerala Story’, which attracted a bigger footfall on Day 1, the current box office numbers and attendance figures suggest that Malayali viewers have largely turned away from the movie, which is accused of portraying both Muslims and Malayalis in a negative light. As a result, many shows have been cancelled across Kerala, including three in Kochi, on Saturday.

Shenoys, one of the most popular theatres in Kerala, was compelled to cancel a show after just seven people arrived for the screening. Theatre owners can cancel shows if there are fewer than 10 people for the movie. On Saturday morning, members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) also marched to the theater to protest the film's screening. According to DYFI leaders, their protest is not aimed at the theater itself, but rather at the movie, which they claim misrepresents Malayalis.

“We’re not here to cause any harm to the theater,” a DYFI member told the media. “However, we cannot allow the Central government to push its agenda in Kerala. For years, we’ve witnessed multiple statements made against Kerala, and now they’re attempting to further their narrative through films. This is unacceptable.”

The Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala has advised its members to seek police protection if they plan to screen such films. "As of now, we haven't received reports of any shows being canceled due to protests. Theaters are obligated to screen films that have been certified by the Censor Board. However, theater owners are free to decide not to show a film if they believe it will not attract enough viewers. This is why many theaters in Kerala have opted not to screen Kerala Story 2," Vijayakumar, who is the president of FEUOK, said.

The owner of a prominent theater in Kochi revealed that, despite requests from distributors, he has no plans to screen Kerala Story 2. "We took a similar stance when the first Kerala Story was released. It's a controversial film, and we don't want to add fuel to the controversy by showing it," he said. He also mentioned that they had received a call from the local police station inquiring if they needed police protection for the screening.

Meanwhile, E4 Entertainment, a leading South Indian production and distribution company, is handling the distribution of the film across Kerala. However, it remains unclear how many theaters will ultimately decide to screen the movie. It is also to be noted that the movie is available only in Hindi, with Malayalam and other language versions unavailable in theatres.