The hype around The Kerala Story doesn’t seem to die down any time soon. The film has emerged as a box office success. However, it has also had its share of fair controversies. The film was at the helm of backlash after the trailer claimed that 32,000 women from Kerala were forced into conversation. After severe criticism, The number was changed to ‘3 women’. Now, at a press conference producer Vipul Shah has finally addressed the change in the number of women.
What Vipul Shah said?
The makers, in the first trailer of the film, claimed that 32,000 women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam. After the legal intervention, the makers changed the description of the film’s trailer from ‘story of 32,000 women’ to that of three women. After this, the authenticity of facts in the story became a common question. Now, Vipul Shah, credited for bankrolling the project, has finally reacted to the claims.
He said, “26 ladkiyan yaha hain, aur aur abhi inhone khud kaha, 7000 number ek sanstha ka hain. Toh mujhe lagta hain ab ye 32,000 ya 3, hum sab sai crore ladkiyon se khud mil chukey hain. Toh 3 ke number kit oh koi baat hi nahi thi. Hamare film 3 ladkiyon ki kahaani leke batati hain, isiliye wo 3 ka number hain. 3 ke number ka actual jo ho raha hain use Kerala ka koi vaasta nahi hain. Ye kahaani 3 ladkiyon ke kahaani ke through in hazaaron ladkiyon ki kahaani aap tak leke aayi hain.”
He further added, “Aur bahut dukh bhi hua, ki media ke kuch logo ne ismein unka saath bhi diya, hamein discredit karne ki koshish ki. Hum koi nahi hain, lekin itni saari ladkiyon ki zindagiyan barbaad ho rahi hain, unka saath na dekar, iss film ko chota ya jhootha sabit karne ki koshish kar rahe hain. Ye kitna sahi hain ye hare k ko, apne aap ko aaine mein dekh ke jawaab dena chahiye.”
He concluded with, “7000 ka number inhone kaha par aise bahut se aakhron ko leke hum bohot jald hi aenge aur saara khulasa karenge, 32,000 ka bhi. Uske baad main dekhna chahta hoon ki jin logo ne hamein criticise kiya, kya wo apna rukh badalte gaub? Lekin wo hamare bare mein kya sochte hain isse hamein koi farq nahi padta. Aap inn ladkiyon ki ladai ko weak mat kariye, inke sath anyaye mat kariye. That is our request and that is what we want to see.”
‘Great Service to Islam’: Sudipto Sen
Meanwhile, director Sudipto Sen on categorically dismissed the claims that their latest film propagates hatred against the Muslim community.
When asked why there was no single “redeeming” Muslim character in The Kerala Story, Sudipto Sen said, “We are not here to do a balancing act. The whole world is going through this. When we talk about terror we can’t automatically assume that we are targeting the religion. We have done a great service to Islam.”
“There are two Keralas that exist inside Kerala – one which is like a postcard with backwaters, beautiful landscape, Kalaripayattu, dance, martial arts. The other Kerala – the northern part of Kerala – Malappuram, Kasaragod, Kozhikode which connects to south Karnataka including Mangaluru, is a terror-network hub…”
The makers of The Kerala Story have also vowed to build shelter homes for 26 women who inspired the film.
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