‘The Kerala Story’: Director Sudipto Sen’s Eye-Opening Take on Religious Tension
Movie Ratings : 3 stars
Sudipto Sen’s film “The Kerala Story” tactfully addresses a sensitive topic, revealing the hidden truth about religious conflicts, purported radicalization and conversion of young Hindu women to Islam in Kerala, where they are then compelled to join ISIS.
The film is all set to release in theatres on May 5, 2023, and here’s our take on what had already been the talk of the month.
Storyline
The storyline traces the journey of Shalini Unnikrishnan, a Hindu nursing student from Kerala, who gets trapped and brainwashed by Islamic extremists and eventually becomes an ISIS terrorist.
The film exposes the reality behind the alarming statistics linking misguided young men in Kerala to godmen who support terrorism in Afghanistan and Syria.
Cast performance
Adah Sharma delivers an outstanding performance, representing the innocent girls who fall victim to religious manipulation. She effortlessly portrays the Malayali accent while speaking Hindi and English.
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Yogita Bihani also delivers a bearable monologue in the climax scene.
The film’s whole cast does justice to their roles, with Pranay Pachauri and Umar Sharif delivering good performances, and Adah Sharma’s gripping performance makes it a worthwhile watch.
What we liked
Though presenting reality in a cinematic format could have been a challenge, Sudipto skillfully presents a powerful narrative that exposes the pain and slavery of innocent women from various religions who are forcefully converted to Islam. The film is not an easy watch, but it’s an essential visual document that opens our eyes to the harsh realities of today’s world.
What we didn’t like
The film is emotionally taxing, as some scenes are extremely horrific to watch but Sudipto deftly balances the heavy subject matter with lighthearted moments from Shalini’s past, providing some relief from the overwhelming sadness.
There are some unimpressive and boring parts to the movie too, particularly when Asifa tries to radicalise and brainwash Shalini. The movie occasionally seems more like a lesson on radicalization than something the audience would find entertaining.
Additionally, it goes to great lengths to make its point, which may be disturbing to viewers from a variety of communities in our nation. You can have various inquiries about the current status of the nation after seeing The Kerala Story. This unsettling and thought-provoking movie leaves a lasting impression.
Our take
“The Kerala Story” is a thought-provoking and courageous film that is a good-watch for anyone seeking to understand ideologies behind the current state of the world. It’s sobering but nice to watch and sheds light on a varied subject matter.
Also According to the movie, the tale of three young girls from various regions of Kerala is genuine and might pull audience to the theatres
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