The Kerala Story winning National Awards sparks political row
The Kerala Story winning big at the 71st National Film Awards has sparked a heated debate.
The film, which picked up Best Director for Sudipto Sen, is under fire for its controversial take on women from Kerala allegedly being manipulated into joining ISIS.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called the award an "insult" to Kerala's tradition of religious harmony and said it promotes a divisive narrative.
BJP has backed film; no other party has
Education Minister V. Sivankutty and both major political fronts in the state have also criticized the award, saying the film spreads baseless hate.
Only the BJP has backed it so far, while several civil society groups have joined in opposition.
Film faced legal challenges before release
Before hitting theaters, The Kerala Story faced Supreme Court petitions accusing it of spreading false propaganda.
The court allowed its release but filmmakers had to drop claims about 32,000 women joining ISIS after legal challenges.