Supreme Court stays Bengal govt ban on ‘The Kerala Story’, asks Tamil Nadu to give theatre security

The Supreme Court on May 18 revoked the ban on the film ‘The Kerala Story’ by West Bengal.

The West Bengal govt had banned the film on May 8, three days after the film hit the theatres. Theatres in West Bengal can now show the movie.

Criticizing the West Bengal government, CJI DY Chandrachud said that law can’t be used to put a premium on public intolerance, otherwise, all films will find themselves in the same situation.

For Tamil Nadu, where the state has not put any official ban, but theatre owners have removed the movie on the pretext of possible security situations, the SC bench said that additional security can be provided for every cinema hall screening the movie.

The Kerala Story, starring Adah Sharma, was released in cinemas on May 5. Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film claims women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State or ISIS.

(With inputs from PTI)