Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Slams National Award for ‘The Kerala Story’, Calls It a Blow to Secularism
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday strongly criticised the decision to award national honours to the film The Kerala Story, calling it an endorsement of efforts to use cinema to spread communal hatred.
Speaking at the Kerala Film Policy Conclave in Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayan said honouring a film that he claimed insults Kerala’s secular fabric and defames the state was “extremely unfortunate.”
“This is not just an insult to Kerala, but also to the cultural legacy of Indian cinema,” he said, adding, “It sends a message that art can be used to destroy secularism and promote communalism.”
The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen, won Best Director and Best Cinematography at the national film awards. The movie drew criticism for its controversial depiction of women in Kerala allegedly being forced to convert and join the Islamic State.
Vijayan urged the film fraternity to oppose such portrayals and remain alert to attempts that he said misrepresent the state and its culture. He also raised concerns about the lack of recognition for Malayalam cinema on national platforms and said that should be discussed at the conclave.
The film policy conclave, held at the Sankaranarayanan Thampi Hall in the state legislative assembly complex, was aimed at shaping a comprehensive policy to promote and modernise Malayalam cinema.
In his address, Vijayan also voiced concern over growing instances of violence, drug use and alcoholism being glorified in films. He called on filmmakers to avoid such content, especially because of its potential psychological impact on children.
“Scenes promoting drugs and alcohol should not just be removed from scripts-they should be eradicated from the industry,” the CM said, urging cooperation from the film community to combat the issue.
He further said the importance of collaboration within the industry, saying egos should be set aside for the common good.
State Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian, who presided over the event, said the conclave followed recommendations from the Justice Hema Committee report, which examined issues like sexual harassment, wage gaps, and poor working conditions in the Malayalam film industry.
The committee was formed in response to demands by the Women in Cinema Collective after the 2017 assault on an actress.
