KOCHI (Rajeev Sharma) — In a significant legal intervention, the Kerala High Court on Thursday, February 26, 2026, issued an interim stay on the release of the highly controversial film The Kerala Story 2-Goes Beyond. The order comes just 24 hours before the movie’s scheduled nationwide premiere. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, while presiding over two petitions challenging the film, remarked that there appeared to be a “non-application of mind” by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) during its certification process.
The court observed that the CBFC seemed to have disregarded specific guidelines intended to prevent cinematic content from disrupting social harmony. The Bench emphasized that while freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, it is not absolute. The court clarified that this right does not extend to content that has the potential to create communal discord, disturb law and order, or undermine the delicate social fabric of the state.
Following the court’s directive, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah and the CBFC have been instructed to ensure the film is not released for public viewing for a period of 13 days. During this window, the Central Government has been ordered to review a revision petition filed by petitioner Sreedev Namboodiri and pass a formal order within two weeks. The High Court has mandated that a fair hearing be provided to all stakeholders, including the producer and the petitioners, during this administrative review.
The legal challenge, led by advocate Maitreyi Sachidananda Hegde, alleges that the film’s certification bypassed statutory requirements outlined in the Cinematograph Act, 1952. Beyond seeking to quash the certificate, the plea calls for significant modifications, including a reconsideration of the film’s title. This development has reignited a fierce national debate regarding the limits of artistic freedom and the duty of regulatory bodies to maintain communal amity in a diverse society.
