The Kerala Story, a Hindi film set to be released in 2023, is based, at least in part, on the real-life experiences of Hindu women from Kerala who convert to Islam and join ISIS. The film’s director is Sudipto Sen, and it stars Adah Sharma, Siddhi Idnani, Yogita Bihani, and Sonia Balani.
The Kerala Story
The Kerala Story, a Hindi film that was released in 2023, is based on the real-life experiences of Hindu women from Kerala who convert to Islam and joined ISIS. However, many others feel the video promotes a misleading and divisive concept of “love jihad” and should be avoided because of its Islamophobic undertones. Numerous parties have also filed legal challenges and organized protests against the movie, particularly in the Indian states of Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
Sudipto Sen helmed the picture, while Vipul Amrutlal Shah was the producer. The film features the acting talents of Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. The movie opened in theaters on May 5, 2023, and quickly rose to the ranks of the year’s highest-grossing Hindi films. The video was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) electoral platform in Karnataka.
In the film, Shalini Unnikrishnan plays the role of Fatima Ba, a Hindu lady who converts to Islam and joins ISIS. She describes how hardline Muslims in college, who seemed to be her friends, indoctrinated and exploited her. She also claims to be one of the 32,000 Hindu and Christian girls who went missing in Kerala and were later found converted to Islam and recruited by ISIS. Official statistics and reports contradict such statements, showing their falsity.
By demonizing Muslims and portraying Kerala as a haven for terrorists, the video has drawn criticism from critics who claim it promotes fear and hatred. The film has been criticized for allegedly breaching people’s freedom of religion and speech, as well as for distorting facts and misrepresenting history.
Cast of the Kerala Story
The Kerala Story is a film with a large cast of actors playing various roles. Some of the main actors and their characters are:
- Adah Sharma as Shalini Unnikrishnan / Fatima Ba, a Hindu woman who converts to Islam and becomes an ISIS terrorist.
- Yogita Bihani, as Nimah Mathew, is a Christian woman who is converted and joins ISIS.
- Sonia Balani as Asifa, a Muslim woman who is a friend of Shalini and Nimah and helps them in their radicalization.
- Siddhi Idnani as Geetanjali Menon, a Hindu woman who is Shalini’s roommate and tries to save her from the extremists.
- Vijay Krishna as Ishak, a Muslim man who poses as a Hindu and seduces Shalini to convert her to Islam.
- Pranay Pachauri as Rameez, a Muslim man who poses as a Christian and seduces Nimah to convert her to Islam.
- Pranav Misshra as Abdul, a Muslim man who is the leader of the extremist group that recruits Shalini, Nimah, and Asifa into ISIS
Reviews
Reviews for the film have been all over the place. Here are a few of the reviews:
- Times Of India: The reviewer gave the movie 3 out of 5 stars and praised Adah Sharma’s performance as Shalini, who is abducted and radicalized by her roommate and associates. The reviewer also appreciated the cinematography and the nonlinear narrative of the film. However, the reviewer criticized the movie for being problematic with disturbing scenes and dialogue.
- IMDb: The movie received an average 8 out of 10 rating from 175 user reviews. Most users appreciated the film’s expose of the harsh truth of radicalization and conversion in Kerala. They also complimented the director and the actors for their brave and realistic portrayals of the characters. However, some users found the movie to be biased and sensationalized.
- Rotten Tomatoes: The critic gave the movie a negative review and called it a messy melodrama that depicts women as victims of terrorism irresponsibly and deceptively. The critic also accused the film of being Islamophobic and propagandistic.
FAQs
Here are some FAQs about the movie “The Kerala Story”:
What is the film about?
The Kerala Story is an Indian Hindi-language drama movie from 2023. It stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. Sudipto Sen directs the film. The movie is about four women who decide to become Muslims and join ISIS. People have said that the movie is racist against Muslims and gives false information about the state of Kerala.
Why is the movie controversial?
The movie has been controversial for several reasons. The Kerala government and independent fact-checkers first disputed the claim that 32,000 women from Kerala have joined ISIS. Second, the film has been accused of portraying all Muslims in Kerala as extremists, a stereotype that has been repeatedly debunked. Third, the film has been accused of spreading misinformation about the state of Kerala, such as the claim that many Christian and Hindu women are being forced to convert to Islam.
What has been the reaction to the movie?
People, including people in the movie business, have a lot of bad things to say about the movie. The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce wants the movie to be banned, and several cases have been made with the Supreme Court to stop it from coming out. Sudipto Sen, who directed the film, has supported it by saying that it is based on actual events and that it is essential to talk about radicalism.
Is the movie based on a true story?
The filmmakers have claimed that the movie is based on a true story but have not provided any evidence to support this claim. The Kerala government has denied that there is any evidence to support the claim that 32,000 women from Kerala have joined ISIS.
Is the movie going to be released?
The movie’s release has been postponed indefinitely due to its controversy. The filmmakers have said that they are still working on the film and that they hope to release it in the future.
I hope this answers your questions.