'The Kerala Story' top opener at box office despite controversy, BJP leaders sponsor tickets

The film The Kerala Story is being promoted in a big way by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). With the national president of the party J.P. Nadda endorsing it on Monday, party MLAs and M.P.s have stepped up their efforts to ensure maximum audience for the film, which is based on real life incidents involving three Kerala girls, who were converted to Islam and sent to join the ISIS terror outfit based in Syria. 

Legislators of the BJP, including Mangal Prabhat Lodha (Malabar Hill) , who is also a minister of state, Atul Bhatkhalkar (Kandivli),  Sunil Rane (Borivli).  Parag Shah (Ghatkopar), have sponsored the tickets of thousands of their voters for watching the film in local cinema halls.  The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu outfits are also encouraging people to watch the film, which talks about the dangers of "love  jihad" and terrorism. 

Prithviraj Shetty, a Hindu activist, said: "We want everyone to see the film. It is not an issue confined to Kerala alone. We want to sensitise people to the issue of Islamic fundamentalism which is spreading across the country." 

The film has been banned in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal while the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh government has made the movie tax-free. The Maharashtra government is also likely to make it tax-free. 

Amod Mehra, noted film critic, told the FPJ on Monday: "Years back, if a ban was imposed, it was to prevent people from watching a particular film. But, in today's world the film will be available on the OTT platform soon. The audience will watch it for free! By banning a film, the state government concerned will only lose revenue." 

Sarfaraz Arzoo, prominent Urdu journalist, said: "With Prime Minister Modi himself endorsing the movie, it is very clear who are all behind it. But, I am of the opinion that by banning the movie you will only make it more popular. People would be curious to know what is in it. Banning is not the solution."

According to trade reports, the movie had a very good opening all over India. In fact, it is regarded as "one of the top five openers of 2023 in terms of its first-day box office collection." The other toppers are Shah Rukh Khan’s "Pathaan" (Rs 55 crore), Salman Khan's "Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan'' (Rs 15.81 crore), "Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar" (Rs 15.7 crore) and "Bholaa'' (Rs 11.2 crore). The Kerala Story performed better than Akshay Kumar’s "Selfiee" (Rs 2.55 cr) and Kartik Aaryan’s "Shehzada'' (Rs 6 cr).  The Kashmir Files raked in Rs 3.5 crore on its opening day. The Kerala Story is reported to have made Rs 8.03 cr on its opening day, May 5 and on the following two days (weekend) it was Rs 11.22 Cr and Rs 16 Cr. According to trade analysts, the film is expected to touch Rs 50 Cr in the first week against Rs 40 Cr spent on it.