Digital ticketing platforms continued to sell tickets for Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s controversial film, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, on Friday, despite a 15-day stay on its release issued by the Kerala High Court. The court had halted the film’s theatrical debut, originally scheduled for February 27, citing concerns that the content could disrupt communal harmony and that the Censor Board had shown a "non-application of mind" during certification. ‘The Kerala Story 2’ Row: Division Bench Hears Late-Night Appeal Against Release Stay; Cites Procedural Concerns.

‘The Kerala Story 2’ Ticket Sales Spark Contempt Warning

On Friday morning, counsel for the original petitioners, Sreedev Namboodiri and Freddy Francis, informed the court that ticket bookings remained active on major platforms like BookMyShow in cities including Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. While shows were largely unavailable in Kerala, they were listed in over 30 theatres across other major Indian metros.

Watch the Trailer of ‘The Kerala Story 2’:

The petitioners have warned that they will verify if any actual screenings take place during the day. If the film is exhibited in defiance of the stay, they intend to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the producers and theatre owners.

Late-Night Legal Battle

The ongoing ticket availability follows a dramatic late-night hearing on Thursday. Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah moved an urgent appeal before a division bench of the Kerala High Court, seeking to quash the single judge’s stay order. Shah argued that the film was slated for release in over 1,800 theatres domestically and 355 centres abroad, and that a sudden halt would cause "irreversible economic harm."

The division bench, comprising Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P.V. Balakrishnan, reserved its judgment after the hearing. Until that ruling is delivered, the 15-day interim stay remains legally in force.

Judicial Concerns

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, in his initial stay order, noted that the film’s teaser and trailer appeared to denigrate the state of Kerala and a specific religious community. The court observed that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) seemingly failed to follow guidelines intended to safeguard social harmony.

The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, is the spiritual sequel to the 2023 film The Kerala Story. While the first film focused on Kerala, the sequel expands its narrative to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, following three women in what the makers describe as an exploration of religious conversion agendas. Kerala High Court Stays ‘The Kerala Story 2’ Release, Movie Halted for 15 Days Over Communal Harmony Concerns.

Political and Social Reaction

The film has faced sharp criticism from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who labelled the sequel a "threat to secularism" and accused the makers of using false propaganda to malign the state. In response, producer Vipul Shah has maintained that the film is not "against Kerala" but is intended to raise awareness about "evil" practices that need to be eradicated.

TruLY Score by LatestLY
Rating:2

TruLY Score 2 – Unverified | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 2 on LatestLY. It relies on a single source or posts by social media users, with no independent verification. The content should be viewed with caution and should not be shared without further validation from credible sources.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 27, 2026 03:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).