The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language propaganda film directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah through Sunshine Pictures. A sequel to the 2023 film The Kerala Story, it stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha. Having generated legal and political debate following the release of its teaser and trailer, the film was released theatrically on 27 February 2026. == Plot == The film expands the narrative of its predecessor and follows the lives of several young women across different Indian states. The story explores themes related to personal relationships, alleged religious conversion, and societal pressures. == Cast == Ulka Gupta as Surekha Aditi Bhatia as Divya Aishwarya Ojha as Neha Sumit Gahlawat as Salim Arjan Singh Aujla as Faizan Yuktam Kholsa as Rasheed Alka Amin as Hafsa Begum == Soundtrack == The music is composed by Mannan Shaah and Rahul Suhas. The first song "Saathi Re" was released on 4 February 2026 sang by Vishal Mishra. == Release == After receiving a UA16+ certificate on 16 February 2026, the film was scheduled for a theatrical release in India on 27 February 2026, before the Kerala High Court granted an interim stay on the film's release. On 25 February 2026, the Kerala High Court directed the makers to halt the release of the film's rights until it decided on "probably genuine" petitions challenging its censor board certification, and further noting that the makers were not keen on screening the film immediately, observed that there was a shortage of time to examine the matter in detail. On 26 February 2026, The Kerala High Court granted an interim stay on the film's release, observing that the CBFC appeared to have not followed the guidelines meant to ensure a film does not disrupt social harmony. However, after the producers swiftly moved an appeal against the order on the same day, responding to the urgency of the matter, the Kerala High Court Division Bench convened a special sitting, and on 27 February 2026 lifted the interim stay on the release of the film, with a 2-judge bench setting aside the earlier order by a single-judge bench. == Controversy == The film became the subject of legal and political debate in India following the release of the official teaser and trailer. In February 2026, a petitioner named Sreedev Namboodiri filed a writ petition before the Kerala High Court challenging the certification granted to the film by the Central Board of Film Certification. The petition argued that the film’s promotional material including its title and depiction of themes such as terrorism and alleged forced conversions could create a misleading regional association with the state of Kerala and disturb public order and communal harmony. The High Court issued notices to the producers, the CBFC, and the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and scheduled further hearings on the matter. Several public figures and organisations also commented on the film. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, described the sequel as potentially promoting divisive narratives and called for careful consideration of its impact on communal harmony. Other political commentators, including senior leader Shashi Tharoor, also criticised the film’s messaging in public statements, prompting responses from both supporters and opponents of the project. The film was granted a U/A certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification, which drew further public discussion regarding the suitability of its themes for younger audiences. The Communist Party of India (Kerala state unit) reportedly passed a resolution opposing the film and urged reconsideration of its certification, alleging that it could create communal tension. Union minister Giriraj Singh publicly defended the film, stating that filmmakers have the right to present their perspective. Political reactions were also reported outside Kerala. In Bihar, politician Pappu Yadav criticised the debate surrounding the film and questioned whether political parties should influence filmmaking decisions. The film’s trailer also generated extensive discussion on social media platforms, with commentators debating whether it presents factual events or promotes a particular narrative. On 23 February 2026, a press conference in Delhi was held where Shah and Singh introduced 30 women claiming to have had allegedly experienced forced religious conversions. This led to a heated exchange between the filmmakers and members of the media, with journalists accusing the makers of "insulting" Kerala and questioning them about the absence of "Malayali victims" on the stage. When questioned why the film retained the name Kerala if, as the duo claimed, the issue extended across the country, the filmmakers reiterated that the film was a "pan-India story" that was not politically motivated, and was unrelated to the upcoming Kerala elections. On 25 February 2026, The Kerala High Court directed the filmmakers to screen the film for the court. In response, the producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah opposed the order, citing that "the court must not exercise its authority to view and evaluate films". == Reception == Rishabh Suri from Hindustan Times gave the film 2 stars out of 5, finding it "less a nuanced narrative and more a shouting match, engineered to sensationalise." Abhishek Srivastava from Times of India gave the film 1.5 stars out of 5, finding it weak, predictable, dependent more on heavy scenes and speeches than on a strong plot, and comparing it unfavorably to the first film. Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV gave the film 1 star out of 5, accusing the makers of chasing short-term gains by weaponising "the anguish of women wronged not as a tool of empowerment but (in the guise of a cautionary tale) as a means of painting a community into a corner." Vineeta Kumar from India Today gave the film 0.5 stars out of 5, claiming that the film portrayed Muslim men, households and localities negatively, and noting that it did not merely continue its predecessor's argument, but amplified it. Anuj Kumar from The Hindu found it better performed than the original, but accused Singh of prioritising manipulation and polarisation over plot and dialogue in a "strident" sequel. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in stated in her review that "Released during the holy month of Ramzan after a legal battle, the movie states its agenda plainly, forcefully and without inhibition: to portray an entire community as unfeeling villains whose only goal is to expand their flock by any means possible, and to rouse feelings of suspicion, hatred and direct action against them." Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost rated it 2/5 stars and said that "Vipul Amrutlal Shah's underwhelming drama relies more on cacophony than coherence." Arpita Sarkar of OTT Play gave 1 star out of 5 and writes that "the film turns complex social issues into one-dimensional narratives, flattens its female protagonists, and portrays all antagonists in extremes. Ultimately, it generates controversy but struggles to engage as an interesting film." == References == == External links == The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond at IMDb