
Ahead of the release of The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, the sequel to the controversial 2023 film The Kerala Story, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took a jibe at the film, claiming it aims to spread hate about the state.
Now, director Kamakhya Narayan Singh, in an exclusive conversation with NDTV, has reacted to the Chief Minister's claims, stating that he is "not accepting the truth."
Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, took to X earlier today to express his disappointment over how The Kerala Story 2 aims to demonise the "secular fabric" of the state, urging that the film be scrutinised with "utmost gravity".
The X post read, "The reports regarding the release of a sequel to the hate-mongering film The Kerala Story should be seen with utmost gravity. Having already seen through the communal agenda and blatant lies of the first part, Kerala will once again reject this attempt to demonise our secular fabric with contempt."
The reports regarding the release of a sequel to the hate-mongering film 'The Kerala Story' should be seen with utmost gravity. Having already seen through the communal agenda and blatant lies of the first part, Kerala will once again reject this attempt to demonise our secular…
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) February 19, 2026
"It is shocking how fabricated narratives aimed at inciting communal discord receive a free pass, while critical expressions of art get gagged. We must stand united against these attempts to paint our land of harmony as a hub of terror. The truth shall always prevail," concluded CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Back in 2023, The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen, found itself amid a brewing storm as it neared its release. The Hindi-language film, initially based on the "true story of 32,000 females" who were coerced into religious conversion, also picked up two National Awards last year. Produced by Vipul Shah, the film depicted how women from Kerala were forced to convert and were recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS).
The winners of the 71st National Awards, held on September 23. 2025, were announced by feature film jury chairperson Ashutosh Gowariker. The Kerala Story was among these winners, honoured in two categories: best director for Sudipto Sen and best cinematography for Prasantanu Mohapatra.
The trailer of The Kerala Story 2, unveiled on February 17, 2026, presents three parallel narratives centred on Hindu girls who allegedly face coercion and religious conversion after entering relationships with Muslim men. It opens with a stark warning that in the next 25 years, India could be transformed into an Islamic state governed by Sharia law.
The story then shifts to Rajasthan, where a Hindu family approaches a police station to file a POCSO complaint, claiming that their 16-year-old daughter has been forced into religious conversion. Another thread unfolds in Madhya Pradesh, where a young Hindu woman is allegedly deceived into marriage under false pretences and later compelled to convert. The third storyline takes viewers to Kerala, where a Muslim man suggests a live-in relationship to his Hindu girlfriend. When she refuses to convert, tensions escalate.
The film stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha as the three young women whose lives take a dark turn after falling in love. According to the makers, the sequel aims to expand the narrative further, focusing on what they describe as an organised agenda of religious conversion. The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and co-produced by Aashin A Shah under the banner Sunshine Pictures.
The film is slated to hit theatres on February 27, 2026.
ALSO READ | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Blasts Kerala Story 2: 'Kerala Will Again Reject Hate-Mongering Film'
NDTV in partnership with UBER is launching a sustained campaign 'Roshan Dilli' to try and raise safety standards in India's capital, New Delhi.
Our focus is to try and improve lighting in public spaces in the city. Lighting is a key factor in shaping women's perceptions of safety
The initiative will provide a platform for all stakeholders to discuss our goal of improving safety standards, to start a conversation about safety of women in the country
It will also highlight various interventions and solutions that help to make women safe and put the spotlight on what more can be done.
The campaign will accentuate the need for Safety to be a shared responsibility
The need for gender sensitization and how law enforcement and civil society through checks and education can try and make women safer
We hope you will join us and help make New Delhi a safer city for women.
