A UK-based journalist who goes by the name Naomi Canton has hailed the Bollywood movie 'The Kerala Story', and commented that the film is an excellent narrative of the fate of women who marry fighters of terror group ISIS.
"Just seen the movie The Kerala Story at the cinema in the UK. It is an excellent film that probes what happens when women marry ISIS fighters. Not seen any films like this," tweeted Canton.
Canton went on and said that The Kerala Story is not a propaganda movie, and made it clear that people who call the movie a propaganda film are themselves spreading "false propaganda".
"To call it a propaganda film is complete nonsense and is itself false propaganda. It could have been a Muslim or non-Muslim woman who married these ISIS fighters. The treatment they get is the same - promised Paradise and when they get to Syria, they are raped, have all their freedoms and passports removed, are trapped and regret it (unless they are heavily radicalised like Shamima Begum and willingly take up ISIS militant roles)," tweeted Canton.
She further noted that the film is just narrating the dangers that ISIS poses to everyone.
"It is good the film showcases the truth of what happens when people do join such terror outfits and get radicalised. What is propaganda is not this film, but the methods ISIS use to radicalise people, which the film exposes. Good the BBFC released it in the UK and correct to give it an 18 rating as it is very violent," she concluded her tweet.
Just seen the movie The Kerala Story at the cinema in the UK. It is an excellent film that probes what happens when women marry ISIS fighters. Not seen any films like this. To call it a propaganda film is complete nonsense and is itself false propaganda. It could have been a…
— Naomi Canton (@naomi2009) May 20, 2023
The Kerala Story was released on May 05, 2023. Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film stars Adah Sharma in the lead role.
The trailer of the film, upon its release, had triggered controversies, as it claimed that over 32,000 girls from Kerala were radicalized, and were taken to ISIS. However, the Kerala government, itself clarified that these figures were baseless.
Later, a movie named 2018 was released in Kerala, and it showed how the South Indian state fought against the dreaded floods which wreak havoc. Several critics and audiences, then claimed that 2018 is showing the "real Kerala story", while the Sudipto Sen directorial has twisted the facts to make a movie intended to threaten communal harmony.
Mollywood actor Tovino Thomas too had also lashed out at the movie, and he claimed that the film can be called a fictional Kerala story.
