Breaking: Division Bench Of Kerala High Court Stays Order Against Release Of Movie 'Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond'
The Division Bench stayed the interim order of a Single Bench, which stayed the release of the movie for fifteen days.
After a late-evening special sitting yesterday, the Division Bench of the Kerala High Court today stayed the interim order passed by the single bench staying the release of the movie "Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond".
The Division Bench of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan pronounced, "For the reason stated in order, the interim order is stayed. Post the Writ Appeals for hearing after two weeks."
During the hearing yesterday late evening, Senior Advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul and Elvin Peter appeared for the producers of the movie, who had filed appeals against the interim order passed in two Writ Petitions. Additional Solicitor General ArL Sundaresan appeared for the CBFC and Advocates Maitreyi Sachchidananda Hegde and Sreerag Shylan appeared for the Writ Petitioners.
Earlier in the day, the Single Bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas had stayed the release of the movie, which was to be released on February 27, 2026.
The Single Bench had held, "The repeated portrayal of the theme in a second movie almost of the same name and concept, as evident from the admitted scenes in the sequel movie, can have a tendency to create contempt for a religious group in the State and to the State itself, tend to promote communal and even fanatical attitudes and even endanger public order. There can be a possibility that the State of Kerala, otherwise known for its communal harmony and friendly natives, be identified by viewers across the globe, as a hub of fanatical and communal divide. There is nothing to indicate that the second respondent (CBFC) had considered any of the above factors while certifying the movie for release that too by a UA16+ certification".
The Single Bench had directed, "Hence, there will be a direction to the first respondent to consider and pass orders on Ext.P4 revision petition filed by the petitioner in W.P.(C) No.6574/2026, as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within an outer period of two weeks from today, after granting an opportunity of hearing to the said petitioner, the second respondent and the third respondent. In the meantime, there will be an interim stay of release of the movie titled “The Kerala Story 2 -Goes Beyond” and the second and third respondents are directed to ensure that the said movie is not released for public viewership for a period of fifteen days from today".
Three Writ Petitions were filed, one of which was by a lawyer of the High Court who appeared in person. The Single Bench dismissed the third Writ Petition on the ground that the Petitioner has no locus standi.