The legal troubles surrounding ‘Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ have intensified after the Kerala High Court issued an urgent notice to producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah on June 18. A fresh petition has challenged the film’s certification and sought the removal of the word ‘Kerala’ from its title.Hearing the matter, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan questioned the relevance of the case at this stage, noting that the film has already been released and viewed by a large number of people. However, petitioner’s counsel Chelson Chembarathy argued that the issue remains significant, particularly because of the film’s digital release. According to reports by Live Law, the court chose to defer arguments on whether the petition should be dismissed, despite objections raised by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).‘Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ was released in theatres on February 27 after a higher court lifted an earlier interim stay on its release. While the initial challenges against the film were eventually dismissed, the High Court last week formally closed the remaining appeals filed by both the Central Government and the producer, declaring them infructuous.The Union Government and the CBFC had previously approached the appellate court after a single-judge bench held that the petitioners had the right to challenge the film’s release through legal proceedings. Although those appeals were rejected, the court deliberately left unanswered a larger legal question — whether private litigants can challenge a film’s certification on the grounds that it harms the reputation of a state.In a previous hearing, counsel representing producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah strongly defended the film and argued that the petition “must be condemned.” Despite that stance, the latest plea invokes Sections 196, 197 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alleging that the film promotes hostility between religious and regional groups, threatens national integration and deliberately insults religious beliefs in a manner that disturbs public harmony.Following the film’s streaming release on May 1, the petitioner has also requested that Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited be added as a party to the case. The plea includes additional material, such as a complaint sent to Zee Entertainment’s Content Grievance Redressal Officer and several social media screenshots. According to the petition, these online posts present the film’s narrative as factual and are being used to spread hate speech against Keralites and minority communities.With the High Court now seeking a response from the producer, the legal battle has entered a new phase. The court is expected to examine multiple aspects of the controversy, including the film’s title, CBFC certification, OTT release and the newly submitted digital evidence.Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures, ‘Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ follows the journey of three young women portrayed by Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha.
