On May 6, Madhya Pradesh became the first state to announce a tax break for the film ‘The Kerala Story’.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made a recent announcement that “The Kerala Story” will no longer be taxed in his state. This comes after the movie was declared tax-free in Madhya Pradesh on May 6th. The decision was shared on Adityanath’s Twitter account in Hindi, where he also mentioned that he and his cabinet are looking forward to attending a special screening of the film.
This move by the Uttar Pradesh government has sparked some controversy, as “The Kerala Story” has been a divisive movie that has generated mixed reactions. Nonetheless, the decision to exempt it from sales taxes is now in effect in Uttar Pradesh.
Uttarakhand Likely to Follow Tax-Free Screening
The Adah Sharma-starring movie is probably going to be declared tax-free in Uttarakhand by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) administration there. Pushkar Singh Dhami, the chief minister, is anticipated to make the declaration, according to reports. On Tuesday, at 5 o’clock, the chief minister is most likely to watch the film at a PVR theatre in Dehradun.
Controversy Erupts Over Kerala Story
The movie focuses on Kerala’s religious brainwashing and the alleged targeting of Christian and Hindu women by extremist Islamic clerics. According to the movie, these women were dispatched to places like Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria “to fight for the cause of Islam” after becoming Muslims. The Kerala High Court declined to block the film’s distribution, stating that the trailer does not specifically target any one tribe. Numerous youth groups in the state organized protests against the movie’s showing.
The Kerala Story will no longer be shown in West Bengal, the state’s administration declared on Monday. According to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, this was done to “maintain peace” and prevent bloodshed. The Kerala Story was no longer being shown in Tamil Nadu multiplex cinemas as of May 7, blaming the state’s law & order crisis.
What is the real Kerala Story?
When the trailer for The Kerala Story was published in November of last year, it immediately caused a huge uproar. The number of 32,000 women who were radicalized and converted to Islam is the main argument being used by those who are dragging the filmmakers through the mud.
“The Kerala Story,” a recently released movie, explores the subject of religious indoctrination in Kerala and the alleged persecution of women of the Hindu and Christian faith by radical Islamic preachers. According to the movie, these women were dispatched to fight for Islam in places like Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria after they converted to Islam.
The release of the movie has further intensified the debate and controversy around this subject. Viewers are forced to consider the brutal realities of religious fanaticism and its effects on the lives of those trapped in its clutches as the tale develops. The filmmakers assert that the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) recruited 32,000 women from the southern state and converted them to Islam. The number 32,000 is currently the main topic of discussion.
But how many individuals in Kerala have genuinely converted to Islam, particularly women? There are some figures, but there is no absolute recent data. We are also aware of the main catalyst for female conversion.
Kerala Government Data on Conversions
In a report that was presented to the Kerala Assembly in 2012, the then-chief minister Oommen Chandy stated that 7,713 persons had converted to Islam between 2006 and 2012. Chandy gave the facts in answer to a query posed by KK Latika, the leader of the CPI(M). Chandy stated that 2,667 girls have embraced Islam between 2006 and 2009 while referring to women.
The survey claims that women made up the majority of individuals who converted to Islam during this time, and marriage was the primary motivator for most of them. The study also emphasized the need for the government to guarantee that religious conversion is voluntary and not forced and to promote awareness among young people about the repercussions of conversion.
Row over Real Kerala Story: 2018 vs The Kerala Story
The Kerala Story by Sudipto Sen has received harsh criticism from a sizable portion of the populace nationwide. According to the teaser, at least 32,000 women from Kerala had joined the terrorist group The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which Adah Sharma plays as Shalini Unnikrishnan aka Fathima. The film’s unsubstantiated claims had drawn criticism, so the producers had to change the trailer to read “story of three young women from Kerala.” In court battles, the accusations made in the movie were refuted, and ban requests became louder before its release.
The Kerala Story, which premiered on May 5 despite all the hostility and opposition, has been met with mixed opinions from viewers. Even though the Adah Sharma movie has been criticized for being Sanghi propaganda, it premiered in crowded theatres in the north of the country. Since the movie has an appeal to “save one’s daughters and sisters,” many people have urged movie goers to see it. The movie hasn’t been well appreciated, nevertheless, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. One after another, shows are being cancelled all around the country.
Meanwhile, Jude Anthany Joseph’s survival thriller from 2018, which debuted on the same day, has subtly dominated the box office. The movie centers on the devastating 2018 floods that claimed several lives and destroyed a great deal of property, and how the whole state of Kerala banded together to brave the catastrophe and lend support to one another. Movie fans have already given it the name “The Real Kerala Story.”
The film’s Herculean effort, including the acting, directing, photography, editing, and music, to mention a few, is being praised by movie fans. It appears like “The Real Kerala Story” is winning hearts and soaking up all the love because the movie has been getting rave reviews from reviewers and viewers.
READ ALSO: West Bengal Govt Bans ‘The Kerala Story’
