The upcoming drama film Kerala Files, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, has been leaked online by piracy website Filmy4wap.dx, days before its scheduled release on May 5. The film, which stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani and Siddhi Idnani in the lead roles, is based on the controversial issue of forced conversion and radicalization of women in Kerala.
The film has already faced a lot of backlash from various quarters, including a petition filed in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on its release. The petitioners alleged that the film was a “worst kind of hate speech” and an “audio-visual propaganda” that distorted the reality of Kerala and maligned the Muslim community. However, the court dismissed the petition, saying that the film had got certification from the censor board and that it was not like an uncontrolled speech on a podium.
The film’s director Sudipto Sen has defended his work, saying that it was based on true stories and that he had done extensive research on the subject. He also said that he had 100 percent trust in the courts and that he hoped that people would watch the film with an open mind.
The film’s plot revolves around Fatima Ba (previously Shalini Unnikrishnan), an ex-Hindu woman from Kerala who narrates her story of being converted and induced to become a suicide bomber working for ISIS. The film also chronicles the stories of two more non-Muslim nursing students from Kerala who are used as the perpetrators of communal “jihad”.
The film’s trailer, which was released on YouTube on April 15, has garnered over 10 million views and mixed reactions from the viewers. Some have praised the film for exposing the truth, while others have slammed it for spreading communal hatred and misinformation.
The film’s leak online has raised concerns about its box office prospects and its impact on the audience. It is not clear how the leak happened and who is behind it. The makers of the film have not yet commented on the issue.
