THE KERALA STORY: Truth behind it

KAKALI DAS

A lot of reviews on The Kerala Story (2023) have been published in the last few days – with the NDTV terming it as ‘cringe-worthy’, Scroll as ‘Islamophobic’, India Today as ‘worse’ in terms of direction and writing, The Indian Express as ‘poorly-acted rant’, or The Print as ‘comically exaggerated propaganda’.

Well, I am not saying that these reviews are wrong, but there was a time when film reviews actually mattered and people took them seriously. But it is no longer the same, nobody wants reviews but something else entirely.

The storyline of The Kerala Story is almost synonymous to what the news channels and WhatsApp University feeds us today. If you are not interested in the news showcasing real problems of common men – unemployment, economy, healthcare etc. – and you crave prime time sensational news material – then this movie will quench your thirst and please your soul.

If you take every word from media anchors like pearl of wisdom, and WhatsApp University forwards as your prime saviour – then you will love The Kerala Story. No one can stop you from watching the film and if you’re a WhatsApp University graduate, then you will shout slogans by the end of the movie credits.

“But, what an Oscar level marketing by the makers of The Kerala Story! Nike and Adidas must take notes from them! The 32,000 figure disappeared by the time the movie’s main trailer was released. In fact, when first day first show was premiering, the producers of the movie said in court that they would remove the 32,000 claim from its storyline. In the run time of the movie, this 32,000 number is mentioned merely once as a claim – no facts or data is given to prove that. The news channels play these tricks often – if caught, they say sorry – and that is what the makers of The Kerala Story did by removing the 32,000 number from it. But the publicity was already done – isn’t that a masterstroke?”

Despite so many negative reviews and proving in the court that the news of the 32,000 number of disappeared girls is fake – the film has opened well at the box office. The problem is that the movie poses itself as the true story. Had the movie been called a work of fiction or loosely inspired, then that would have been okay – we would have cheered – as creative license is a thing after all, and we respect that. But here, the movie feels like playing with the communal harmony.

Five months ago, the teaser had claimed that 32,000 girls had been buried in Syria and Yemen desert. A total of 32,000 did seem like a big number – the director Sudipto Sen claimed he had evidence to prove that, and we thought that he had researched.

After all, if the number is true then that is a setback for Modi govt.! If 32,000 women went to ISIS from just one state – how did that happen?

But, what an Oscar level marketing by the makers of The Kerala Story! Nike and Adidas must take notes from them!

The 32,000 figure disappeared by the time the movie’s main trailer was released. In fact, when first day first show was premiering, the producers of the movie said in court that they would remove the 32,000 claim from its storyline. In the run time of the movie, this 32,000 number is mentioned merely once as a claim – no facts or data is given to prove that.

The news channels play these tricks often – if caught, they say sorry – and that is what the makers of The Kerala Story did by removing the 32,000 number from it. But the publicity was already done – isn’t that a masterstroke?

Now, you may question – what is the real number of people who joined ISIS – there must be some basis for making the movie!

Well, the film itself states that it is based on a story of 4 women who joined ISIS and before I elaborate further, it is an important reminder that much of the movie is rightly shown – ISIS brutality, sex slaves, sharia, etc. Instant justice by ISIS, use of drugs and how women are treated by ISIS – director, Sudipto Sen has shown ISIS bluntly and quite gory details in the movie. Even news channels may not have done a show on ISIS in detail as this movie.

By the end, you will hate ISIS, but the trick played by the movie is that it’s linking the truth of ISIS to Kerala to push agenda that Kerala has become a terrorist playground, that religious conversion is an industry in Kerala and Hindus are easily converted by greed of lollypop.

Now let’s know about the movie’s cinematography and storyline – actress Adah Sharma is a nursing college student, Osama bin Laden is celebrated and India is called an imperialist force – that is what is happening in Kerala as per the makers.

Adah, playing the character Shalini, and her friend are both brainwashed – basically a liberal college is shown like recruiting ground where terrorists are recruited. Shalini later tells the UN officers to save her Kerala – God’s own country is at risk. As if that is how it is!

The dialogues in the movie will evoke two reactions: One, who will comment it as madness, and second, who will applaud, cheer and approve of it. Before watching the movie, I thought why Adah Sharma and not Kangana Ranaut who starred it! But after watching it, I realized that any one – even a cow or a goat – would have done the job, and strong minded like Kangana wouldn’t fit the role. Why a cow or a goat, let me explain!

Disclaimer – Spoilers ahead.

Shalini goes to a nursing college where she and her friends meet Asifa, a Jihadi recruiter. Shalini is a Hindu girl, and wants to know more about Islam. Shalini is eve teased, and so she and her friends start wearing hijab to feel safe in the college. Shalini, then, gets pregnant with her Muslim boyfriend – boyfriend refuses to marry her unless she converts to Islam, and Shalini agrees. But the boyfriend runs away after conversion.

Then, there comes a twist – Shalini is ready to marry an another Muslim guy as suggested by a Maulvi, and they must go to Syria and join Jihad to repent pre-marital sex. Shalini agrees to go to Syria. But, before that they go for their honeymoon in Sri Lanka. Shalini receives a call from her college friend – tells Shalini that her boyfriend did not run anywhere – he was now onto other girls as he was a recruiter.

The same gang trapped two other friends of Shalini – one took her life. Still Shalini does not understand and goes to Syria with her new husband. Must be a travel bug in her! (lol)

But Shalini realizes her mistake after she was denied phone access in Syria. She is told mobile phone is haram for women under Sariah law – why didn’t she know it already? That’s why we say, read up a little – don’t rely on WhatsApp University.

There is a concept of red flags in any relationship. The movie shows that if you keep ignoring red flags you will be stuck in worse situations. Especially, if you boyfriend runs away after impregnating – then you don’t go marrying a stranger. But Shalini follows like a sheep.

The storyline has many loopholes. You will scratch your head while watching – but is the story entirely false? Not really. There are a few such known cases – where 4 women after religious conversion did go to Syria with husbands, and husbands were killed in war or terrorism – they are trying to return now but not welcomed.

The Kerala Story is based on a story of these 4 women, but it is being shown that there is an organized recruitment on large scale in Kerala. There is no debate that ISIS recruits fundamentalists from world over – and many from India too have tried to join there – but, our country keeps a close eye on this matter.

Whoever tried, many were even arrested attempting to go to or come from Syria. Mostly the ones who tried to go to Syria from Kerala were returnees from Gulf countries. But organized recruitment and that too 32,000 missing? No evidence was presented of this so far – only jingoism and propaganda to sell.

All the elements of a hit movie are in The Kerala Story – not acting, direction or editing though. But, Hijab, Love Jihad, Tukde Tukde Gang, ISIS, Ghazwa-e-Hind, Communist Bashing etc. And, like today’s new channels, the agenda of the movie is clear and that is what people are liking – it serves Islamophobia on a plate.

The most disappointing thing I found in the movie is – in order the present the gory reality of ISIS, the movie not only scratches fault line in Islam – but also mocks the Hindu religion. Shalini and friends are shown so naïve in the film, and they are told to their faces that Hindu Gods are characterless, helpless, and asked them to wear Hijab to prevent rape.

If such talk is done in a college in reality, then that would be the last day in that college for people I know. But here, Shalini accepts all this and nods. Had this been any other director’s work, there would be many cases against him/her for showing Hindus helpless. This certainly feels like a well thought agenda!

The movie The Kerala Story will undeniably evoke extreme emotions in the viewers – either the movie will repulse people, or they will cheer for it. In both cases tickets will sell and movie will be discussed further.

Now, politics behind this movie is also clear – the PM is mentioning The Kerala Story in the election rally in Karnataka, and blaming Congress for it, linking it with terror. After losing in Kerala assembly, this is a good opportunity for the BJP to push their agenda.

No matter what the reviews say – I agree there is no good acting, storyline etc. Still the film works on insecurities of people and satisfies their thirst for such content.

[Images from different sources]

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