Shashi Tharoor calls The Kerala Story ‘hate-mongering’; producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah says ‘ironic’ to blame cinema for social unrest | – The Times of India

Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday criticised the makers of The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Past, alleging that the sequel — like its predecessor — promotes divisive narratives with out factual foundation and dangers spreading hatred in society.Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Tharoor described the primary installment, The Kerala Story, as a “hate-mongering movie” that lacked basis. He disputed the massive-scale non secular conversion figures cited within the unique film, claiming they have been exaggerated.“The first movie, Kerala Story, was a hate-mongering movie. It lacked any basis. They have been saying that 1000’s of individuals have been transformed, which isn’t true. I believe there have been round 30 such circumstances over a quantity of years. Ours is a really large nation. If a case happens right here and there, it doesn’t suggest you need to flip it into a giant story and use it as propaganda,” Tharoor mentioned.

‘Why unfold hatred?’ Tharoor asks

Drawing a distinction with earlier cinema, Tharoor referred to movies similar to Amar Akbar Anthony, which he mentioned celebrated communal concord and even obtained leisure tax exemptions of their time.“What’s the purpose of saying issues that can solely unfold hatred in individuals’s minds and are usually not even appropriate? In our childhood, movies like Amar Akbar Anthony used to get leisure tax exemptions,” he mentioned.

Producer Vipul Shah hits again

Responding to the controversy, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah defended the sequel and questioned why movies are blamed for disturbing concord when actual-life circumstances don’t set off comparable outrage.“I believe this can be very unhappy and ironic that such issues are raised solely when a movie addresses these points,” Shah advised PTI, citing current felony circumstances involving alleged non secular conversions.He argued that if crimes are being investigated and prosecuted, portraying them in cinema shouldn’t be seen as a menace to social concord.“Precise crimes and the people accused of committing them don’t appear to spark the identical degree of outrage about social disharmony. But a cinematic portrayal of these points is seen as a menace,” he added.

Authorized scrutiny and political backlash

The sequel, directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, is slated for launch on February 27. The lately launched trailer explores themes of non secular conversion, with tales set in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.Nonetheless, the movie has now come beneath authorized scrutiny. A petition difficult the trailer and its portrayal of Kerala has been filed earlier than the Excessive Court docket. Appearing on the plea, the courtroom has issued notices to the Ministry of Info and Broadcasting, the Central Board of Movie Certification, and the movie’s producer. The matter is scheduled to be heard on February 24. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan additionally criticised the mission, calling the primary movie “hate-mongering” and urging that the sequel’s launch be considered with “utmost gravity.”In a submit on X, he mentioned, “It’s stunning how fabricated narratives aimed toward inciting communal discord obtain a free cross, whereas essential expressions of artwork get gagged. We should stand united towards these makes an attempt to paint our land of concord as a hub of terror. The reality shall at all times prevail.”