The Kerala High Court was informed on Friday that online booking for the film “The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond” remained open despite a 15-day stay on its release, raising concerns that the movie could be screened in theatres in violation of the court’s interim order.
The submission was made before Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas by petitioners Sreedev Namboodiri and Freddy Francis, whose pleas had led to Thursday’s order restraining the film’s release. Their counsel told the court that ticket sales were active on Friday morning and warned that a contempt petition would be filed if the movie was screened.
The petitioners pointed out that the film’s producer, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, had moved a late-night appeal against the stay before a division bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P.V. Balakrishnan. While the bench heard all sides and reserved its judgment, it did not grant any interim relief permitting the release.
In the absence of such an order, the single-judge stay continues to operate, the petitioners argued, adding that they would verify whether any screenings took place during the day.
On Thursday, Justice Thomas had halted the release for 15 days, observing prima facie “manifest non-application of mind” by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in granting certification.
The court had also flagged the “possibility of communal disharmony or denigration of a community” and held that releasing the film without further scrutiny by higher authorities would be legally improper.
Referring to the teaser, the judge said it carried a prima facie potential to distort public perception and disturb communal harmony, warranting interim restraint.
With the division bench yet to pronounce its order on the producer’s appeal, the petitioners indicated they would move contempt proceedings if the film was exhibited despite the subsisting stay.
The matter now hinges on whether any screening occurs during the restraint period and on the forthcoming decision of the division bench on the challenge to the single-judge order.
