Kerala’s political leadership has escalated its criticism of Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond following the release of the film’s trailer, warning that the sequel risks reviving communal tensions and reinforcing what they describe as an artificial story about the state.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday expressed concern over the upcoming release of the film, alleging that the first installment was made “with the intention of spreading hatred against the state and undermining its secular tradition”. His remarks on Thursday were followed by a fresh attack by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, who accused the continuation of trying to “insult and collectively divide” Kerala by “inventing false stories”.
Vijayan says the first film was aimed at “spreading hatred” and distorting Kerala’s image
In a statement issued by his office, Vijayan questioned how films he described as divisive were allowed to be screened while other works faced restrictions.
He asked how “poisonous works created to spread division and hatred in society” were allowed to be screened while a film like Beef was not allowed into the film festival.
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The chief minister alleged that centers linked to the Sangh Parivar amplified what he called the fake story of the first film and turned it into a wider political campaign.
“They are spreading false propaganda by portraying even consensual marriages as examples of communalism and forced religious conversion,” Vijayan said.
He argued that Kerala’s record of communal harmony was precisely why the state became a target for political forces seeking to polarize.
‘Enemies of the state’: CM warns against attempts to disrupt communal peace
Vijayan said the long absence of communal riots in the state and its tradition of inter-communal respect are seen as hostile.
He described the forces behind such campaigns as “enemies of the state” who are trying to destroy peace and tranquility in the region.
“We must collectively reject attempts to portray Kerala, a country of religious harmony that is at the forefront of sustainable development and a role model in maintaining law and order, as a hub of terrorism,” Vijayan said.
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“It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to ensure that the secular foundations of Kerala are not undermined by false propaganda and reject it by upholding the values of secularism and brotherhood,” he added.
Congress has joined the attack, saying the trailer contains “baseless scenes” about beef
On Thursday, Venugopal, Congress general secretary and MP from Alappuzha, accused the film of deliberately fabricating allegations about Kerala to create division.
He alleged that the upcoming film aims to “insult and collectively divide” Kerala by “inventing false stories” about people being forced to eat beef in the state.
Referring to the trailer, Venugopal claimed that it was a “planned move” to create a misunderstanding about the status globally.
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In his Facebook post, he also attacked the BJP government for supporting the first film, claiming that it was awarded despite being untrue.
“The central government’s action of officially recognizing and promoting fake works ridiculing the entire state is a threat to democracy itself. Such lies sponsored by the Sangh Parivar cannot break the secular mind of Kerala,” Venugopal claimed in his post.
He further said that the film’s depiction of forced beef consumption was designed to stoke sentiment.
“It is highly undesirable to portray in this way a state known for its secularism and for not discriminating between people on the basis of food or clothing,” he said.
Venugopal called on the public of Kerala to reject what he called “poisonous campaigns”.
Background of the film: teaser released, first part won National Film Awards
Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh. Its trailer was released recently and has sparked the latest round of political backlash.
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The first film, The Kerala Story, won the Best Director and Best Cinematography awards at the 71st National Film Awards, a point Venugopal cited as evidence that the central government had legitimized the story the film presented.
The expanding political struggle over cinema and secular identity
The emerging series reflects a wider national pattern in which films become a focus of political controversy, with state identity, religious affiliations and the limits of artistic freedom being publicly challenged.
For Kerala’s ruling Left and the Congress-led opposition, the release of the sequel has become less a film issue than a dispute over how the state is portrayed — and whether cultural products are being used as weapons to disrupt what both sides describe as Kerala’s secular tradition.