Tamil Nadu govt tells SC, ‘The Kerala Story’: Theaters stop screening due to poor audience response

New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government has told the Supreme Court that the filmmakers of ‘The Kerala Story’ have deliberately made misleading statements that the government has imposed a shadow ban on the film, however, due to poor response from the audience, cinema halls have stopped screening the film. Gave.

An affidavit filed by Tamil Nadu stated, “Due to poor audience response the exhibitors themselves have stopped the screening of the film and there is nothing the government can do to increase audience patronage for the said film except by providing security to the theatres.” ” The top court had earlier asked the Tamil Nadu government to file a reply on the filmmakers’ plea alleging that the state imposed a de facto ban on the film in the state.

Filing the affidavit, the state said that the theater owners had voluntarily stopped screening the film on May 7 due to poor performance of the actors/poor response to the film or lack of eminent actors in the film.

“The multiplex owners have taken the decision to stop screening the film from 5th May in view of the criticisms it received/lack of renowned actors/poor performance/poor audience response. The State exercises no control over the decisions. It is reiterated that in the affidavit It is said that the decision was taken by the theater owners on their own and the state had no role in it.

Tamil Nadu denied the filmmakers’ allegations that the state had imposed a “shadow ban” or issued an “alert” regarding the film’s release, which led to the film’s withdrawal from cinemas in the state.

The state government said the film was released in 19 multiplexes and the filmmakers have not produced any documents to show that the state has stopped screening the film. The state actually deployed more police force in each multiplex so that cinema goers can watch the film without any law and order issues.

The affidavit states that over 965 police personnel, including 25 DSPs, were deployed for the security of 21 movie theaters which screened the film. The makers also alleged in the top court that the film is facing a ‘shadow’ ban in Tamil Nadu and sought security for screening the film in the southern state.

Earlier, the apex court questioned the West Bengal government on banning the film and said that the film is running in different parts of the country with similar demographic profile. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said, “The film is releasing all over the country and why the West Bengal government should not allow it to run.”

It said that if the public does not think the film is not worth watching, they will not watch it and asked West Bengal why the film should not be allowed to run. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered an immediate ban on the screening of the film in the state “to avoid any incident of hatred and violence and to maintain peace in the state”.

The producers argued that the state government had no power to ban a film certified by the Central Board of Film Certification for public viewing. The filmmakers’ plea states that the state government cannot cite law and order issues to stop the film’s exhibition, which would result in violation of fundamental rights.

The film shows how thousands of young women were allegedly brainwashed to join the Islamic State (IS) and migrated to countries like Syria and Afghanistan. ‘The Kerala Story’ starring Adah Sharma hit the theaters on 5 May.