The Kerala Story' Review: Unseen And Shocking
Film: The Kerala Story
Rating: 3/5
Cast: Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, Siddhi Idnani, Devadarshini, Vijay Krishna, Pranay Pachauri, Pranav Misshra etc
Editing: Sanjay Sharma
Music: Viresh Sreevalsa, Bisakh Jyoti
Producer: Vipul Amrutlal Shah
Director: Sudipto Sen
Release Date: 5 May 2023
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'The Kerala Story' has grabbed attention after the success of 'The Kashmir Files' at the box office in 2022. This film is controversial and sensitive, and even the trailer alone has caused quite a stir.
Initially, it seemed unlikely that the film would ever be released, but it eventually made its way to the theaters with police protection to ensure safety.
Story
The story follows Shalini Unnikrishnan (Adah Sharma), Nimah (Yogita Bihani), and Siddhi Idnani (Geetanjali), who share a room with Asifa (Sonia Balani) in a nursing college in Kasargod, Kerala.
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Unbeknownst to the other three girls, Asifa is involved with ISIS, with her mission being to indoctrinate and manipulate non-Muslim girls, converting them to Islam. She plants two Muslim young men disguised as college students to befriend Shalini and Geetanjali as part of a Love Jihad scheme.
As the story progresses, Shalini becomes pregnant with Rameez, who poses as a medical college student. He demands that she convert to Islam in order to marry him, but he ultimately abandons her. Another man named Ishaq enters the picture and marries her after she converts and adopts the name Fathima.
The ultimate goal is to take her to Syria as a sex slave. The film delves into the hardships faced by Shalini, as well as the plight of Geetanjali and Nimah at the hands of Muslim Jihadists.
Character's Highlights
The performances of the cast are noteworthy. Adah Sharma delivers an award-worthy performance as Shalini Unnikrishnan, skillfully maintaining the appropriate Hindi and English diction for an innocent Keralite. Her approach to method acting shines through in her portrayal.
Siddhi as Geetanjali is perfect in her role, and Sonia excels in her dual-shade performance as Asifa.
Yogita Bihani has some impactful moments in the latter part of the film. Devadarshini impresses as Adah's mother, showcasing notable scenes. Vijay Krishna, Pranav Mishra, and Pranay Pachauri deliver menacing performances in their respective roles.
Excellence Cinematography
The film showcases technical excellence through its convincing locations and cinematography, deserving praise. The editing is sharp, and the back-and-forth narration keeps the audience engaged. The production values meet the mark, and the music and lyrics stand out with their meaningful and catchy compositions. The background score is also impressive.
Overall, 'The Kerala Story' tackles a sensitive subject matter with a strong cast, technical finesse, and compelling storytelling. Affiliate marketing
Important Highlights Of The Kerala Story
Adah Sharm
Music and lyrics
Dialogues
Direction
Location
Analysis:
It's important to note that 'The Kerala Story' may not cater to all communities in India. In theaters, it was evident that a particular community dominated the audience, as indicated by their unanimous clapping and vocal reactions to certain biased dialogues.
This film stands as a bold endeavor, following in the footsteps of 'The Kashmir Files.' The end credits reveal that it aims to shed light on the alleged incidents involving 32,000 non-Muslim Indian girls from Kerala. According to the film, these girls were supposedly brainwashed, converted, impregnated, and sent to terror camps, where they endured rape and became sex slaves in ISIS camps in Syria and Afghanistan.
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Just before the end credits, the film presents several testimonials to convince viewers that it is based on real events rather than mere fiction. Real-life victims, portrayed as characters in the film, appear on screen, creating a more poignant viewing experience.
Scenes depicting rape, beheadings, mutilation, and violence against women categorize the film as 'Adults Only.' It strongly opposes the concept of 'Love Jihad.' Many dialogues touch upon religious aspects, leaving the audience with a mix of laughter and thought-provoking moments.
For instance, when a husband mentions that mobile phones are forbidden in Sharia law, his wife cleverly responds, "When Sharia Law was written, the mobile phone was not invented. How can it be banned?" This dialogue elicits laughter in the theater.
During the brainwashing of a Christian girl named Nimah, the jihadist Asifa states, "Your God's son was tortured and nailed on a Cross, but even then God couldn't save him. How can he save you when he couldn't save his own son?"
It is important to highlight that the film does not aim to portray Islam in a negative light. The creators show their respect for Islam through a line in one of the lyrics: "Jhooti tasveer dikhaake majhab hi kambakt insa badal daalaa" (showing the wrong picture of religion, it's unfortunate that man has changed).
However, the film fails to take the time to provide a comprehensive understanding of Islam, similar to how Ram Gopal Varma attempted to do in the film '26/11' with Nana Patekar's lengthy dialogue about Jihad.
'The Kerala Story' is recommended for those who appreciated 'The Kashmir Files.' It is made in a bold and unwavering manner, with all the actors delivering convincing performances that offer a realistic experience.
