Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly criticised the upcoming film The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond, labelling it a continuation of hate-mongering propaganda that seeks to tarnish the state’s reputation for secular harmony.
In a post on X on February 19, 2026, Vijayan urged people to view reports of the film’s release with “utmost gravity.” He stated that Kerala had already recognised the communal agenda and falsehoods in the original The Kerala Story, and would again reject this latest effort to demonise the state’s secular fabric with contempt.
“It is shocking how fabricated narratives aimed at inciting communal discord receive a free pass, while critical expressions of art get gagged,” Vijayan wrote. He called for unity against attempts to portray Kerala—a land of harmony—as a hub of terror, asserting that truth would prevail.
The Chief Minister’s remarks follow the release of the film’s trailer on February 17, 2026, by producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The sequel expands on themes from the 2023 original, presenting multiple storylines involving Hindu women allegedly facing coercion into religious conversion after relationships with Muslim men. These narratives span Kerala, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, with warnings of broader demographic shifts and references to Sharia law.
The first film, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Shah, centred on claims of forced conversions and recruitment into the Islamic State. Despite controversy over its initial portrayal of “32,000 females” affected—a figure later adjusted—it received two National Awards at the 71st ceremony in September 2025: best direction for Sen and best cinematography for Prasantanu Mohapatra.
Vijayan reiterated earlier positions, describing the original as built on an agenda to spread hatred against Kerala and insult its secular traditions. He attributed such campaigns to forces fearful of Kerala’s model of brotherhood, where people of different faiths coexist peacefully without communal riots. He accused the Sangh Parivar of promoting misleading propaganda, including framing consensual interfaith marriages as forced conversions.
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The Chief Minister emphasised that those behind these efforts, by trying to disrupt the state’s peace, act as true adversaries to Kerala. He stressed the need for a collective rejection of portrayals framing Kerala as a terrorism centre, urging residents to safeguard its secular foundation against false narratives.
The Kerala Story 2 is set for theatrical release on February 27, 2026, starring Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha. Produced under Sunshine Pictures, it claims to highlight an organised agenda of religious conversion.
Vijayan’s statement underscores ongoing political sensitivities around the franchise, echoing widespread criticism of its divisive content while defending Kerala’s record of interfaith harmony and social progress.
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