The controversy surrounding The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond has deepened after the Kerala High Court was informed that ticket booking for the film remained active even after a judicial stay on its release. The development has raised serious legal questions about compliance with the court’s interim order and the possibility of contempt proceedings if screenings occur during the stay period.
The matter came up on February 27, 2026, before Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, a day after he ordered a 15-day halt on the film’s release. The stay was granted while hearing petitions that challenged the certification granted to the film and alleged that its content could disturb communal harmony and distort public perception about a community.
According to submissions made by the petitioners, despite the stay remaining in force, online ticket booking for the film was still accessible on the morning of February 27. This created the possibility that theatres might screen the film during the day, even though the release had been legally restrained. The petitioners informed the court that they would verify whether any screenings had actually taken place and, if so, would initiate contempt proceedings.
The court’s earlier stay order had been unusually pointed in its observations. Justice Thomas noted that there appeared to be a prima facie non-application of mind by the Central Board of Film Certification while granting certification. He also observed that the teaser content indicated a potential to create communal disharmony or denigrate a community. In such circumstances, the judge held, permitting release without scrutiny by higher authorities would be legally improper.
Following the stay, the film’s producer, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, moved an urgent appeal before a division bench of the High Court late on February 26. The bench, comprising Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P.V. Balakrishnan, heard extensive arguments from all stakeholders, including the petitioners and the production side. However, the division bench did not grant any interim relief that would suspend the single-judge stay. Instead, it reserved its judgment, effectively allowing the original 15-day stay to continue.
Legally, this means that the film cannot be screened in theatres during the stay period. While ticket listings or bookings on platforms do not by themselves constitute a release, any actual exhibition of the film while the stay is operative could amount to contempt of court. The petitioners’ warning about potential contempt action, therefore, hinges on whether screenings were carried out despite the judicial restraint.
The case has once again brought attention to the sensitive balance between cinematic expression and communal harmony in India’s film regulation framework. Courts generally refrain from intervening in film releases once certification has been granted, but they may step in when certification appears legally flawed or when content is alleged to have serious social repercussions. In this instance, the High Court’s concern centred on whether the certification process adequately considered the film’s potential impact on public perception and inter-community relations.
For now, the release of The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond remains pending the division bench’s final decision. The ruling will determine whether the film can proceed to theatres as cleared, must undergo fresh certification scrutiny, or requires modifications before release. Until that judgment is delivered, any screening of the film would be legally impermissible.
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