Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticizes the jury for awarding "The Kerala Story" with a National Award, stating that it disrespects the esteemed legacy of Indian cinema.
In a series of statements, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed his disapproval towards the 71st National Film Awards for honouring the film "The Kerala Story" with Best Director and Best Cinematography awards.
Vijayan has accused the awards jury of legitimising a divisive ideology and lending credibility to a narrative opposed by him and his government. He believes that the film, which has been a subject of political controversy since its release in 2023, spreads blatant misinformation aimed at tarnishing Kerala's image and sowing communal hatred.
The Chief Minister stated that by honouring "The Kerala Story", which he described as a communal propaganda tool, the jury insulted the noble tradition of Indian cinema known for promoting unity. He emphasised that Kerala has historically been a beacon of harmony and resistance against communal forces, and the film’s recognition was seen as an affront to that legacy.
Vijayan has been a consistent critic of the film since its release. He has claimed that the film falsely claims that 32,000 women, who went missing from Kerala, were forced into terrorism upon alleged conversion or sold to ISIS as sex slaves. These allegations have been met with severe criticism from some quarters.
The movie, directed by Sudipto Sen and starring Adah Sharma, emerged as one of the most successful films at the box office. However, it faced a backlash in several states, with the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government imposing a ban on screening the film in the state.
In response to the awards, Vijayan has called for a protest and urged every Malayali and all democratic believers in the country to raise their voice against this injustice. He stated that Kerala has been gravely insulted by the decision to honour the film with awards.
Vijayan also claimed that the awards jury insulted the noble tradition of Indian cinema that stood for religious brotherhood and national integration. He further stated that the awards jury is implementing the Sangh Parivar agenda of turning cinema into a weapon to implement the communal agenda.
The controversy surrounding "The Kerala Story" continues, with Vijayan's criticism adding fuel to the fire. The film's awards have sparked debates about the role of cinema in society and the responsibility of awards juries in upholding the values of unity and integrity.
- The government of Kerala, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has criticized the 71st National Film Awards for honoring "The Kerala Story" with Best Director and Best Cinematography awards, accusing the jury of legitimizing a divisive ideology and lending credibility to a narrative opposed by the government.
- Vijayan believes that the film, which has been a subject of political controversy since its release in 2023, spreads blatant misinformation aimed at tarnishing Kerala's image and sowing communal hatred, and he considers the film's recognition as an affront to Kerala's historical legacy of harmony and resistance against communal forces.
- The film, directed by Sudipto Sen and starring Adah Sharma, has been a huge financial success, but it has also faced a backlash in several states, with the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government imposing a ban on screening the film in the state.
- In response to the awards, Vijayan has called for a protest and urged all Malayalis and democratic believers in India to raise their voice against the injustice of honoring the film with awards, and he claims that the awards jury has insulted the noble tradition of Indian cinema that stood for religious brotherhood and national integration by implementing the Sangh Parivar agenda of turning cinema into a weapon to advance a communal agenda.
