Movie theatres in West Bengal hesitant to screen 'The Kerala Story' despite SC order

Kolkata: Despite the Supreme Court allowing the screening of "The Kerala Story" in West Bengal, no movie theatre has yet accepted the screening of the controversial film, which the state government had previously banned out of concern for "communal unrest."

Satadeep Saha, the distributor of the film in Bengal, told PTI on Friday that none of the single screens and multiplexes in the state have come forward to show 'The Kerala Story' as yet, including theatres owned by his family. 

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"We have asked the hall owners and multi-plex authorities that they can go ahead with the screening since there is no hurdle in showing Kerala Story now. But till now no one has picked up the move for release here Maybe they don't want to antagonise anyone," Saha told PTI.
    
However, the Regional Head of Inox Amitabha Guha Thakurata told PTI "we are waiting for (state) government's formal orders."
    
Director of the movie, Sudipto Sen at a  press conference on Friday claimed he has been told by several hall owners that they have been threatened "by certain quarters" and asked not to screen the film.
    
Sen, who was speaking at a press meet here accompanied by the film's female lead Adah Sharma, claimed an estimated 1.5-2 crore people have already watched the movie all over the country, within two weeks after its release.
    
'The Kerala Story' which was released in theatre halls on May 5, claims that women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS).
    
The West Bengal government had earlier banned the movie claiming it feared communal disturbances if it was screened. 
    
However, the Supreme Court overturned the ban on Thursday and allowed its screening with a disclaimer that the movie was a "fictionalised version" and there was no authentic data on claims on the number of women who converted to Islam.
    
"We don't want to be embroiled in any controversy. I call upon Hon'ble chief minister Mamata Banerjee to kindly see the film herself and decide if it poses any threat to communal harmony or law and order disturbances," Sen said. 
    
He said people should be allowed to decide whether they want to watch the film or not.
    
"I am a Bengali, the production designer is a Bengali. We are shocked and disappointed that such a thing is happening in Bengal.

"If security is not being provided to the theatre owners despite the SC order, we feel outraged, shocked," the movie director said.

He pointed out how TMC leader Mahua Moitra had flagged the banning of a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and TMC had spoken of freedom of opinion on that issue.

"Now where has the issue of artistic freedom gone? Can there be two sets of yardsticks in two situations?" he asked.

Producer Vipul Shah addressing the press virtually from Mumbai, hinted if the film is not shown in theatres in the state, the movie company may again move the court.

The apex court on Thursday stayed the ban imposed by West Bengal on the screening of the controversial film 'The Kerala Story'. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said it is the duty of the state government to maintain law and order as the film has been granted certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

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(With inputs from PTI)