The Kerala Story distributor in West Bengal: After distributing 400-odd films, for the first time my film is facing a ban

Embroiled in political debates, the film has benefitted in some states that are ruled by BJP allies and banned in a few states that are ruled by the opposition.

The Kerala Story

Since its release, Sudipto Sen and Vipul Shah’s The Kerala Story has stirred controversy all over India. Embroiled in political debates, the film has benefitted in some states that are ruled by BJP allies and banned in a few states that are ruled by the opposition. The film that features Adah Sharma shows that around 32,000 Hindu and Christian women are converted.

After the release, Tamil Nadu banned the screening of the film in the state. On Monday, the Bengal government banned it as well. Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh governments exempted tax from the film.

Also read: The Kerala Story: West Bengal government bans the film exhibition

Film distributor Satadeep Saha, who distributed The Kerala Story in Bengal, is in trouble. “This is for the first time I am facing something like this. I have distributed over 400 films. This is for the first time I am seeing a ban. Of course, it means losses almost in crores – not just for the distributing agency but also for the theatre owners. After Pathaan, this film started doing good business. However, there is nothing to do. If the administration thinks that there can be a problem then we will have to understand,” said the distributor.

Meanwhile, The Producers Guild Of India condemned the ban in different states. In a statement, they said, “As emphasised by us on several occasions in the past, film releases are regulated by CBFC and any film that complies with this statutory requirement should face no further hurdles in having the paying public decide on its fate. Of course, the audience can choose to watch or ignore any film but that is a choice that should be theirs to make, not one that is imposed on them by any party other than CBFC. We call upon all the relevant authorities to urgently address this all-too-frequent phenomenon of films being denied their right to unfettered, nationwide exhibition despite having duly complied with regulatory requirements.”

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