Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 28 (ANI): As cinema halls across the country reopened screenings of 'The Kerala Story 2' late Friday evening after the Kerala High Court lifted the ban on the film, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah spoke about the controversy around the release and urged people to watch the film before forming an opinion.

Speaking to ANI, Vipul Amrutlal Shah said there was a 'misunderstanding' about the film's intent. He said some people believed the makers wanted to show Kerala and its people in a bad way, which led them to approach the court.

Explaining his stand, Shah said, 'Some people had a misunderstanding that we want to show Kerala in a bad light. Or we want to show the people of Kerala in a wrong way. And that's why they went to the court. One court gave a stay and the higher court vacated the stay. Those people who went there are victims of a misunderstanding.'

'I don't want to talk about them any further. But through you, I want to tell the people of Kerala that you must watch this film. Our film does not show Kerala in a bad light. Nor does it talk bad about the people of Kerala. This is just an individual incident that happened in Kerala. And we have shown it in a dramatic version in the film,' he added.

The film producer also reacted to the ongoing protests against the film's screening and said, 'There is news from both Chennai and Kerala. Since it is a court order, they cannot legally stop the movie (from being screened). A lobby has become active in these two states that is trying to stop the screening of the movie through hooliganism... CMs of both the states should take immediate and strict action against these people... I appeal to the court to give an order to the state governments if they fail to protect our rights...'

'The Kerala Story 2,' the sequel to the National Award-winning 'The Kerala Story', that came out in 2023, follows the lives of three young women who fall into what the film describes as deceptive marriages and face alleged forced religious conversions.

Since the release of the trailer, the sequel has received strong reactions from all corners. While several users have criticised the film and called it 'propaganda,' the makers continue to say that the story is based on researched real-life incidents. (ANI)