Amid controversy, makers of 'The Kerala Story' change description of teaser on YouTube

Still from The Kerala Story trailer

Sudipto Sen and Vipul Amrutlal Shah's upcoming film 'The Kerala Story' has been embroiled in a controversy ever since the teaser of the film was dropped. The teaser claimed that the film narrates the "Heartbreaking and gut-wrenching stories of 32000 females in Kerala". However, as the controversy around the film became intense, the makers modified the description of the teaser.

Fact checker Mohammed Zubair took to his Twitter handle to highlight the changes made in the Youtube description of 'The Kerala Story' teaser video. The initial description of the teaser video read, "Heartbreaking and gut-wrenching stories of 32000 females in Kerala! Coming Soon!"

The new description does not mention the figure 32000 which has been questioned by several activities, journalists and ministers from the state. "A spine-chilling, never told before true story- revealing a dangerous conspiracy that has been hatched against India. The Kerala Story is a compilation of the true stories of three young girls from different parts of Kerala. Coming Soon!" reads the current description of the teaser video.

The teaser was released on Youtube in November 2022. In it, a burqa-clad woman played by Adah Sharma recounts her past as a Hindu named Shalini Unnikrishnan who wanted to be a nurse. She further says that she has adopted the named Fatima Ba and is currently an ISIS terrorist lodged in an Afghanistan Jail. She also said that there are 32000 girls like her who have been converted to Islam and sent to Syria and Yemen.

Also Read: Apex court rejects plea seeking stay on release of controversial movie 'The Kerala Story'

Meanwhile, several Malayalees including ministers from Kerala have called the claims made in the teaser and trailer of the film as false. Some have even announced rewards to those who can prove the allegations made in the film. Kerala State Committee of Muslim Youth League has now announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone who proves the allegations levelled in the film and said collection centres for providing the proof will be opened in every district on May 4, reported ANI"Prove the allegations that 32,000 Keralites converted and fled to Syria. Take up the challenge and submit the evidence," the poster by the committee read.

Meanwhile, a Muslim lawyer and actor, who remarried his wife recently under the Special Marriage Act (SMA) for the financial security of their daughters, offered Rs 11 lakh for bringing the proof of even 32 women from Kerala who converted and joined the Islamic State, according to PTI.

"I am offering 11 lakh rupees to those who publish information such as names and addresses of women who were converted to Islam and become members of the Islamic State by Muslim youth of Kerala. No need to produce proof for 32,000 women, just 32 is enough," S Shukkur wrote on his Facebook page.

He also said that the three women who married 2 brothers who were Palakkad natives are the "only reported cases to have joined ISIS from outside the Muslim community from Kerala". "Everyone should stop blaming a community and a state without any proof about the 'love jihad' case which was dismissed even by the High Court," he added.

Produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and starring Adah Sharma in the lead, the film is all set to hit the screens on May 5.