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The Kerala Story Controversy: Ashoke Pandit Speaks on Ban in West Bengal, Says ‘Big Attack on Freedom of Expression’

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Home LeisureThe Kerala Story Controversy: Ashoke Pandit Speaks on Ban in West Bengal, Says ‘Big Attack on Freedom of Expression’

Ashoke Pandit who might be the president of the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association, condemns the banning of The Kerala Story by the West Bengal authorities.

The Kerala Story Box Office Collection first weekend report (Photo: Movie Poster)

The Kerala Story Controversy: Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit on Tuesday condemned the ban of ‘The Kerala Story’ movie by the West Bengal authorities and acknowledged often known as it a “big attack” on the freedom of expression. This comes a day after the Trinamool Congress authorities in West Bengal banned the film ‘The Kerala Story‘ citing “maintenance of peace” and to avoid incidents of “hatred and violence” in the state. Reacting sharply to the ban of the film, Pandit who is also the president of the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association knowledgeable ANI, “I condemn the banning of the film The Kerala Story by the West Bengal government. It’s a big attack on the freedom of expression of a filmmaker. It is sending the wrong signal to the entire country.

West Bengal became the first state to ban the film, which narrates the ordeal of three women who are trafficked to ISIS camps after being converted to Islam through marriage. There’s a continuing political outcry around the movie even as it has been made tax-free in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and now Uttar Pradesh, becoming the second state to make the move.
On the decision to ban the film, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “It is to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and maintain peace in the state.”

Also raking up ‘The Kashmir Files’, a film on the alleged genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, which ran to packed properties no matter evoking protests from the Opposition, the Bengal CM acknowledged, “What was ‘The Kashmir Files’? It was meant purely to humiliate a particular section of society. What is ‘The Kerala Story’? It is a distorted story.”

The Chief Minister directed the state chief secretary to remove the movie from all theatres the place it is being screened. Reacting to the ban, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the producer of the film, acknowledged they could pursue licensed decisions in the direction of the selection.
“If state government won’t listen to us, we will explore legal avenues. However, whatever course we take will be based on legal advice,” Shah knowledgeable ANI on Monday. Helmed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film evoked sharp opposition from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who often known as it “RSS propaganda”.Congress MP from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor accused the makers of “misrepresenting” Kerala.

Campaigning for the BJP in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, weighed in on the controversy, accusing the Congress of standing with terrorists. ‘The Kerala Story’ stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani and Sonia Balani in lead roles.

An huge controversy erupted throughout the film after its trailer claimed that 32,000 women from Kerala had gone missing and joined the terrorist group ISIS. However, throughout the face of protests, the contentious decide throughout the trailer was later withdrawn.

-With ANI inputs