The Kerala High Court on Thursday stayed the release of The Kerala Story 2 after a petition challenging the film's censor certificate was filed earlier this week. During the hearing, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas directed that the film cannot be released on February 27, its originally scheduled release date. The court also questioned the censor board and said it didn't "abide by the rules."

Meanwhile the filmmakers are set to approach a higher bench of the Kerala High Court against the single-judge order staying the film's release. An appeal is likely to be filed as early as today, with the producers requesting an early release of the detailed order to enable them to challenge it without delay. Sources indicate that the team is racing against time, given the film's scheduled February 27 release, and is seeking urgent relief to prevent further disruption to its theatrical plans.

Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, The Kerala Story 2 claims that young Hindu women are lured into interfaith marriages, then assaulted, stripped of their rights, and forced to convert to Islam. The film's content snowballed into a controversy after the release of its trailer.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the court observed that the petitioners' concerns were "probably genuine." The matter was taken up after a biologist, Sreedev Namboodiri, raised serious objections, alleging that the film’s trailer portrayed Kerala in an extremely negative light and could have wider social consequences.

Acting on the plea, the Kerala High Court issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), and the film's producer.

Source: India Today