"Vipul Amrutlal Shah's 'The Kerala Story' Trailer Shows Thought-Provoking, Hard-Hitting Stories Behind the 32,000 Women Going Missing in the Indian Southern State of Kerala" from Koimoi.

Vipul Amrutlal Shah's latest project, "The Kerala Story," is a thought-provoking and hard-hitting documentary that sheds light on the issue of missing women in the southern Indian state of Kerala. According to recent reports, over 32,000 women have gone missing from the state in the past decade, and the film seeks to uncover the stories behind these disturbing numbers.

The Kerala Story is still some time away from release but the film is already embroiled in controversy. After the first teaser was released, many criticized the film for spreading incorrect information and fuelling propaganda. The film’s producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah has now defended his project and said that he will respond to the accusations ‘in due time’.

The filmmaker also addressed allegations that the film was furthering an agenda and was ‘pro-establishment’. He said, “We are making a film on a big tragedy. If I feel that I want to tell this story as a filmmaker, then, discussion on whether I am pro-establishment or not will only reflect an individual’s point of view. As a filmmaker, I only think of the story that touches my heart, and moves me enough to want to narrate it.”

Speaking to the media, Vipul, who is producing the film, said, “We will address [the accusations] in due time. Nothing we say will be without evidence. When we present our facts and figures, people will get the answers. Whether they choose to accept them or not is their choice. Director Sudipto Sen has researched extensively for four years before starting the film.”

The Kerala Story is the tale of Fathima Bi, an Indian nurse from Kerala who underwent forced conversion and was brainwashed into joining the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Director Sudipto Sen had earlier directed a documentary on the same subject in 2018. The film is slated to be released theatrically in 2023.

The trailer for the documentary has already created a buzz on social media, with many praising the filmmaker for tackling such an important issue. The two-and-a-half-minute clip shows snippets of interviews with families of missing women, as well as activists and government officials who are working to address the problem.

The film is expected to explore the social, economic, and political factors that contribute to the disappearance of women in Kerala. Some believe that poverty and lack of opportunities force women to migrate to other states or countries, where they may fall prey to trafficking or other forms of exploitation. Others point to the patriarchal culture in Kerala, which often marginalizes women and denies them the same opportunities as men.

The Kerala Story is not the first film to address the issue of missing women in India. In recent years, several documentaries and feature films have highlighted the plight of women who are trafficked or forced into marriage, often with tragic consequences. These films have helped to raise awareness about the issue and to inspire action to address the root causes of the problem.

However, there is still much work to be done. According to a recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau, over 67,000 women and girls were reported missing in India in 2019, with the highest number of cases being reported in the states of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. These figures are likely to be an underestimate, as many cases go unreported or are not recorded accurately.

One of the challenges in addressing the issue of missing women is the lack of reliable data. Many cases go unreported, and those that are reported often lack key details such as the woman's age, occupation, and education level. Without this information, it is difficult to develop effective policies and interventions to prevent women from going missing in the first place.

Another challenge is the lack of political will to address the issue. Although there have been some efforts by state and central governments to address the problem of missing women, many activists and experts argue that these efforts have been insufficient. They argue that the government needs to do more to tackle the root causes of the problem, such as poverty, gender discrimination, and lack of education and employment opportunities for women.

Despite these challenges, there are many organizations and individuals working to address the issue of missing women in India. These include NGOs, community-based organizations, and grassroots activists who are working to raise awareness, provide support to families of missing women, and advocate for policy changes.

The Kerala Story is an important contribution to this ongoing effort. By shining a spotlight on the stories of missing women and their families, the film helps to humanize the issue and to inspire action to address the root causes of the problem. It is an urgent call to action for all those who care about the rights and dignity of women, not only in Kerala but across India and around the world.

Opposition

Both the Indian National Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) — the only two parties to have governed the state since Independence — have objected to the release of the film for propagating communal misinformation. They have further alleged that the filmmakers are promoting the agenda of the Sangh Parivar of defaming Kerala and propagating the idea of "love jihad", a Hindutva conspiracy theory. Responding to the allegations, producer Shah has said that "nothing we say will be without evidence" and that Sen had conducted four years of research for the film.

After a Tamil Nadu-based journalist filed a complaint with the Kerala chief minister, stating that false propaganda is being done against Kerala and communal harmony is being destroyed, Kerala state police chief Anil Kant directed the Thiruvananthapuram City Police to register a case based on a report by hi-tech crime inquiry cell of Kerala Police. However, based on the legal counsel's advice, as of 15 November 2022, an FIR was not filed. As of 9 November 2022, the film is subject to an investigation.

Banning The Kerala Story not an option, says Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Even as the demand to ban the controversial film The Kerala Story gets louder, the authorities maintain that there is little scope for the state government to intervene in the issue. Once the Central Censor Board certifies a film, states cannot interfere in its screening, Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian told TNIE. 

"The film is produced with the aim of destroying the state’s secular fabric. People should boycott it,” he said. Echoing the demand to ban the film, CPM state secretary M V Govindan had said that a ban would not solve the issue. However, the government should consider the option of banning it. The film is being used by the RSS and BJP for their communal propaganda, he said.

However, social and cultural activists are of the opinion that banning a film or putting curbs on any kind of freedom of expression will only backfire. “Ban is not an option,” a film critic told Media.

“Let the film be released here. The response should be by producing a counter-narrative to the film forthwith, rather than banning it.

The ban will give right-wing forces a chance to demand a similar ban on any film, drama, or book that they don’t like,” he said. “The position that Kerala is non-disturbed heaven itself is hypocrisy. Ensuring dialogues and producing a counter-narrative could help withstand the onslaught of majoritarian ideology,” he added.

Movie spreads hatred and unverified facts, should be banned | Kanthapuram

Kannur: Grand Mufti of India Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar on Saturday came out against the controversial movie The Kerala Story. While inaugurating the valedictory function of the SSF Golden Fifty state conference in Kannur, he demanded to ban the movie which he said spreads hatred among the secular minds of Kerala. “To screen controversial films that spread hatred with unsubstantiated facts is quite unbecoming of the culturally elite society of Kerala. As per the movie, women are being converted to Islam through ‘love jihad’ and sent abroad to join terrorist outfits, which is false propaganda, he said.

It is a campaign against Kerala | PK Kunhalikutty

Malappuram: IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty on Saturday asked the state government not to give permission for screening the movie The Kerala Story.’ “The movie is not based on facts. This is not the story of Kerala. The movie is a campaign against Kerala. Kerala is not known for riots, violence, and mob lynching. They are trying to make money with sensational content,” he said. He also said the movie would not influence the people of Kerala. “Kerala is known for religious harmony. However, the movie will be used outside Kerala including in Uttar Pradesh to tarnish Kerala’s image,” he added.