The Supreme Court stayed the West Bengal government’s order prohibiting public screenings of the film ‘The Kerala Story’ on Thursday. The court stated that the May 8 order is “overbreadth” and is not based on any material presented before the court.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud also directed the Tamil Nadu government to make all necessary security arrangements to ensure the screening of the film and the safety of moviegoers.
The petitions calling for the film’s ban were posted in July. Because the Madras high court had already dismissed a petition challenging the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certification, the court indicated that it might have to watch the film.
The producers have stated that there is no authentic data to back up the claim that the number of converted people is 32,000 or any other figure, and the film represents a fictionalized version of the subject matter.
The court stated that because the film has been certified by the CBFC, it is the responsibility of the state government to maintain law and order.
The bench stated that “Bad films bomb at the box office.”
“The legal provision cannot be used to put a premium on public intolerance. Otherwise, all films will find themselves in this spot,” the bench, also comprising justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala, said during the hearing which is still on.