Supreme Court Closes 2023 Petition Filed Against Movie 'The Kerala Story'

The Supreme Court today closed of all proceedings filed way back in 2023 concerning the movie 'The Kerala Story' which was based on entrapment of Hindu and Christian girls for conversion to Islam.

A CJI Surya Kant led bench ordered today that the matters be disposed of. Advocate Nizam Pasha raised the issue of hate speech being spread by the movie, which is still available on OTT platforms. "The movie still is there on OTT platforms..there should be some guidelines against hate speech being spread through movies..," Pasha stated.

To this the bench asked Pasha to file a separate petition raising such issues.

The movie 'The Kerala Story' depicted` the concept of 'Love Jihad' in which young Hindu and Christian girls are entrapped to convert to Islam and made to join the terrorist organization, ISIS.

In 2023, the Supreme Court had stayed the order of the West Bengal Government banning the screening of movie "The Kerala Story" after it had observed that there was no reason for West Bengal to ban the film when it was successfully running throughout India.

The West Bengal government had justified before the Supreme Court its decision to ban 'The Kerala Story', contending that the movie is based on manipulated facts and contains hate speeches in multiple scenes that may hurt communal sentiments and cause disharmony between the communities.

In reply to the petition made by Sunshine pictures, the Tamil Nadu Police had also refuted a charge of "shadow banning" the movie, contending the film was released in 19 multiplexes across the state, despite protests and objections by Muslim organisations but was removed due to poor audience response.

While hearing a writ petition by the filmmakers Sunshine Pictures Pvt Ltd and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the apex court had asked the West Bengal and the Tamil Nadu governments to explain why the movie, which is run across the country smoothly, can't be exhibited in their States.

A plea was originally filed by the producers of The Kerala Story, challenging West Bengal's decision to ban the screening of the film. The makers of the movie have also challenged the de facto ban imposed on the move in Tamil Nadu wherein an "alert" was issued anticipating protests, due to which theatres withdrew from releasing the film.

‘The Kerala Story’ showing the theme of 'Love Jihad' and entrapment of Hindu and Christian girls for conversion has stirred hornets' nest with several fringe organisations lodging protests for what they perceived as poor depiction of Islam and its clerics. The film, produced by Sunshine Pictures Private Ltd and directed by Sudipto Sen, was released on Friday, May 05, 2023 in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu across the country.

Case Title: SUNSHINE PICTURES PVT. LTD. Vs UNION OF INDIA

Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi and Mohana

Hearing Date: August 21, 2026