'The Kerala Story' declared tax-free in Haryana

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday declared the film The Kerala Story tax-free in the state.

Chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand have already declared the screening of the film tax-free in the respective states.

"The Kerala Story has been made tax free in Haryana...," Khattar said in a tweet Wednesday evening.

Read | West Bengal ban on 'The Kerala Story': SC agrees to hear plea by producers on May 12

The Kerala Story will be released in 37 countries on May 12, the movie's lead star Adah Sharma said on Wednesday.

Directed by Sudipto Sen, it depicts how women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS).

The film has been at the centre of a controversy since it was released last week. BJP leaders have supported the film and urged other states to follow suit. The West Bengal government announced a ban on the film on Monday to "maintain peace” in the state.

It has earned Rs 56 crore at the box office since its release on May 5.