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This is an archive article published on May 27, 2023
Kamal Haasan on The Kerala Story: ‘I am against propagandist films, not enough to write true story at bottom..’
Kamal Haasan said that simply claiming that a film is based on a true story isn't enough.
Kamal Haasan spoke about The Kerala Story.
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Kamal Haasan on The Kerala Story: ‘I am against propagandist films, not enough to write true story at bottom..’
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Actor-politician Kamal Haasan spoke out against the controversial film The Kerala Story, and appeared to describe it as ‘propaganda’ during a press interaction in Abu Dhabi. He said that it isn’t enough to claim that a film is based on a ‘true story’. He was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, “I told you, it’s propagandist films that I am against. It’s not enough if you write ‘true story’ at the bottom as a logo. It has to really be true, and that is not true.”
Directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, The Kerala Story has been mired in controversy ever since its first trailer was released. The trailer claimed that over 30,000 women from the state of Kerala have been radicalised by Islamic fundamentalists. This statistic was amended after several prominent politicians challenged its veracity. The filmmakers subsequently said that the story is inspired by the accounts of three women.
#WATCH | Abu Dhabi | “I told you, it’s propagandist films that I am against. It’s not enough if you write ‘true story’ just at the bottom as a logo. It has to really be true and that is not true,” says actor and politician Kamal Haasan on #TheKeralaStory pic.twitter.com/VSydksg1Z3
— ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2023
The film’s release was met with controversy as well. While it received support from PM Narendra Modi, who spoke about it during an election rally in Karnataka on the day of its release, it was banned by the West Bengal government, and declared tax-free in a handful of states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Over the last few weeks, The Kerala Story has emerged as a box office hit, having earned more than Rs 200 crore in India, making it the year’s second-biggest film behind Pathaan.
The Kerala Story stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani and Sonia Balani. Last year, a similar controversy erupted around Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files, which also went on to become a box office hit despite being described as propaganda in some circles.
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