The Kerala Story 2 Release News: Kerala High Court Allows Filmmakers To Release Film

The Kerala High Court has allowed the film 'The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond’ to move towards release, putting on hold for two weeks a previous order that had stalled its screening for 15 days. The fresh interim relief comes as the producers plan a wide launch across India and overseas on 27 February.

The division bench has paused the operation of the single judge’s interim direction, meaning the earlier block on the film’s release is not in force during this two-week window. The detailed reasoning from the bench is still awaited, but the stay gives the producers crucial breathing space in an ongoing legal fight.

Kerala High Court and The Kerala Story 2 film release dispute

The appeal was heard by a bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P V Balakrishnan. The judges reserved their verdict on Thursday night and then issued the interim stay order on Friday. Their decision came after the producer moved the division bench late on Thursday, challenging the earlier restraint on the film’s release.

Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah told the Kerala High Court that stopping the screening at this stage would "financially finish" the team behind the project. Shah explained that 'The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond’ was lined up for around 1,500 theatres across India and more than 300 theatres abroad on 27 February, and that any delay would heavily hit investments.

Kerala High Court order on The Kerala Story 2 certification

The dispute began when Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas ordered a 15-day halt on the film’s release. The single judge said there was a prima facie "manifest non-application of mind to the requirement of law" by the Central Board of Film Certification while clearing the film. The court felt the censor board’s decision needed closer scrutiny by higher authorities before the movie reached audiences.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas also recorded concerns that there was "the possibility of communal disharmony or denigration of a community also being prima facie involved in the movie", and added that a release without further review would be legally questionable. The judge was particularly critical of the teaser, calling it "a prima facie potential to distort public perception and disturb communal harmony".

In the appeal before the division bench, Vipul Amrutlal Shah argued that the film does not target Kerala or any religious group. Shah maintained that "the film only portrays a social evil" and insisted that the content should be viewed in that limited context, according to news agency PTI. Shah’s stand directly contests the apprehensions flagged by the single judge.

With the division bench’s latest order, the single judge’s earlier direction has been kept in abeyance for two weeks, and the fate of 'The Kerala Story 2 – Goes Beyond’ now depends on the final decision from the Kerala High Court after it issues the detailed order on the appeal.