No explicit or implicit ban on 'The Kerala Story', film removed due to poor show: Tamil Nadu Police tells SC

The Tamil Nadu Police has denied before the Supreme Court allegation of 'shadow banning' the controversial movie The Kerala Story, contending the film released in 19 multiplexes across the state, even after protests and objections by Muslim organisations, and the film was removed due to "poor response".

Maintaining that there is no explicit or implicit ban on the film in the state, the state police contended, "It appears that the multiplex owners took the decision to stop screening the film from May 7, 2023 in view of the criticism received by it due to lack of well-known actors/poor performance/poor audience response."

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"The State exercises no control decision. It is reiterated that this decision was made by the theatre owners on their own and the State had no role to play over the same," it added.

Responding to the top court's notice on the filmmaker's plea against a 'shadow ban', the police said the petitioner has not produced a single document or order or proof to show that the state of Tamil Nadu took steps to ban the screening of the film.

In a written reply, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) stated that the film in Hindi was released in 19 multiplexes across the state on May 5.

In fact, the police lodged nine cases against the protesters, the affidavit said.

Hearing a writ petition by the filmmakers Sunshine Pictures Pvt Ltd and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the top court had on May 12, sought a response from the West Bengal and the Tamil Nadu governments on why the movie, run across the country smoothly, can't be exhibited in their states.

In its reply, the police alleged the petitioners made "false and sweeping allegations motivated by mala fide intentions in an attempt to seek publicity, despite the fact that the State is discharging its positive obligation to create and maintain conditions in which the film can be screened."

"The exhibitors have themselves stopped the screening of the movie and the government cannot do anything to increase the audience patronage for the said film, except to provide security to the cinema theatres," it said.

Also Read: 'The Kerala Story' not against any community, banning it won't serve any purpose: Himanta

The Tamil Nadu police also said that in view of the inputs received from reliable sources, the State Intelligence had on April 26, 2023, and May 03, 2023, issued alerts to the Superintendents of Police in the districts and Commissioners of Police in the cities for keeping a close vigil on the law and order situation in the state and ensuring maintenance of the same in the wake of the scheduled release of the film.

"This was done to facilitate and ensure smooth release and public exhibition of the film and prevent any potential harm to the owners of theatres and multiplexes, and their properties.

The film was heavily criticised after its release, with some Muslim organisations alleging that the film spreads "anti-Muslim hate" and "Islamophobia" among the common public, and has been produced solely with the intent to polarize other religions against Muslims, it said.

The police also said, furthermore, on May 5, 2023, the Director General of Police / Head of the Police Force, Tamil Nadu issued instructions to all the Commissioners of Police and District Superintendents of Police in the state to provide adequate security and protection to every cinema hall that had screened the film.

"The State has made adequate arrangements for security to facilitate the screening of the film, and to ensure that the theatre owners. viewers and the audience are not endangered. Over 965 Police Personnel, including 25 DSPs, were posted for the protection of the 21 movie theatres which had screened the film," it said.

On May 5, 2023, demonstrations, agitations and picketing were staged in 19 places by various Muslim organisations. On May 6, 2023, demonstrations were held at seven places in Chennai and Coimbatore. A total of nine cases, five in Chennai and four cases in Coimbatore, were registered against the protesters, it said.