Days after causing a delay in giving age rating and classification to the film The Kerala Story leading to the cancellation of its scheduled release on May 12, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) on May 16 granted certification and age rating to the Adah Sharma starrer. The BBFC has given an ’18’ age rating to the film and also issued extensive “content advice” stating that sexual violence is portrayed unflinchingly, alongside other complex themes.
Under its ‘Threat and Horror’ rating the BBFC stated, “A consistent level of threat is maintained throughout, as women are isolated from their families and live in fear of Islamic State militants. Some women are held captive and transported to camps where they are subject to sexual violence.”
The British film certification body under its ‘Discrimination’ rating wrote, “The film presents a partial and unbalanced view of Islam which focuses on radical Islamist characters and motivations to the exclusion of more moderate and mainstream forms of the faith. There are regular scenes of discrimination on the basis of religion and gender. A woman spits on her dying father for not sharing her faith.”
Interestingly, the BBFC opines that the film presents a partial and unbalanced view of Islam, without being mindful of the fact that the film is not based on Islam or intends to portray Islam in a good or bad light, rather the film focuses on terrorism and how non-Muslim girls were brainwashed by Muslim youths into converting to Islam abandoning their original faith and culture and carry out terrorist activities. These recruited converts were sent to Syria to join ISIS or become ‘ISIS brides’.
Notably, OpIndia had reported how even several non-Muslim men were converted to Islam and were later found to be involved in terrorist activities.
The Kerala Story director Sudipto Sen took to Twitter to share his joy over the film getting a classification by the BBFC saying that “terrorism lost” and people of Britain will watch the “biggest revolution against terror”.
“Congratulations #GreatBritain. You won. Terrorism lost. Shall wait for your reaction. Oh… now British people shall watch the biggest revolution against terror… #TheKeralaStory,” Sen tweeted on Tuesday.
Congratulations #GreatBritain . You won. Terrorism lost.
— Sudipto SEN (@sudiptoSENtlm) May 16, 2023
Shall wait for your reaction.
Oh… now British people shall watch the biggest revolution against terror… #TheKeralaStory.@adah_sharma @SiddhiIdnani pic.twitter.com/cQdpma95rB
The lead actress of the film, Adah Sharma who plays Shalini Unnikrishnan in the film quoted Sen’s tweet and congratulated the audience awaiting the film’s UK release and wrote, “Congrats all of you, see you in UK #TheKeralaStory,” Sharma tweeted.
FINALLY !!! #TheKeralaStory releasing in the UK ?❤️ this is me showing my new friend my elephant videos and @snehal291986 आई convincing me to eat lunch in the break because then ‘shot ready ‘ will happen and then during crying scenes how to eat? But naye dost ko sab videos show… pic.twitter.com/WD4fON0k9D
— Adah Sharma (@adah_sharma) May 17, 2023
On May 12, the day The Kerala Story was scheduled to release in UK theatres, the BBFC informed that the film is still going through its classification process adding that the film will be available for screening in the UK after receiving age rating and content advice.
The Kerala Story is still going through our classification process. Once the film has received a BBFC age rating and content advice, it will be available to be screened in UK cinemas. 1/2
— BBFC (@BBFC) May 12, 2023
This sparked criticism on Twitter as people questioned the BBFC over its failure to give certification before the film’s release date.
Amidst the controversies, debates, and bans, the film is continuing its dream run at the Indian box office and crossed the Rs 150 crore mark becoming the second-highest grosser of the year 2023.
#TheKeralaStory is now the SECOND HIGHEST GROSSING #Hindi film of 2023… Overtakes #TJMM and #KBKJ to claim the second spot… [Week 2] Fri 12.35 cr, Sat 19.50 cr, Sun 23.75 cr, Mon 10.30 cr, Tue 9.65 cr. Total: ₹ 156.69 cr. #India biz. #Boxoffice pic.twitter.com/Ixwggms6QM
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 17, 2023
Taking to Twitter noted film critic Taran Adrash wrote, “#TheKeralaStory is now the SECOND HIGHEST GROSSING #Hindi film of 2023… Overtakes #TJMM and #KBKJ to claim the second spot… [Week 2] Fri 12.35 cr, Sat 19.50 cr, Sun 23.75 cr, Mon 10.30 cr, Tue 9.65 cr. Total: ₹ 156.69 cr. #India biz. #Boxoffice.”
The film’s story revolves around the life of Shalini Unnikrishnan, a Hindu girl played by Adah Sharma who is brainwashed into embracing Islam by her Muslim friend, married a Muslim man, and escapes to Syria along with her spouse where she is sent to ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) and is tortured there.
