The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under the banner of Sunshine Pictures. It is a sequel to the 2023 film The Kerala Story. The film stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha in leading roles. The film received a U/A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification and has generated legal and political debate following the release of its teaser and trailer. It is scheduled to be released theatrically in India. == 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 Aditi Bhatia Aishwarya Ojha == 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. == Controversy == After the release of the official teaser and trailer for The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, the film became the subject of legal and political debate in India. 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 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". == Release == The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is scheduled for theatrical release in India on 27 February 2026. 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. == References == == External links == The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond at IMDb