The story of radicalisation and the trafficking of innocent girls to create terror is a story that deserves to be told. However, Director Sudipto Sen’s attempt to tell the story after years of research in The Kerala Story is more of a burlesque than an honest portrayal of the issue. More like a spin-off of The Kashmir Files, this film retains a divisive tone and its visuals are emotionally exploitative. Just like the bigots in this film, the makers seem to want to convert the audience into hate-mongers and create a space for them to express themselves in the society.
THE KERALA STORY is said to be based on true stories of how non-Muslim girls were recruited for the IS. Three nursing students in Kerala are brainwashed by a group of extremists to believe that their gods are evil and that Islam is the only way to save the world. The girls are seduced by love and a skewed logic. They are caught up in a vicious game where they become the victims of a supposed clash of civilisations.
Shalini (played by Adah Sharma) is a young woman who has converted and is sent to Syria to join her husband in the fight against the Islamic State. She is captured and imprisoned in Afghanistan and recounts her story in a flashback, in which she and her classmates Geetanjarjali (played by Siddhi Idnani), Nimah (played by Yogita Bihani) are seduced by another classmate, Asifa (played by Sonya Balani), to join the mission. While Shalini eventually succumbs to her fate, the other two must take on the challenge of resisting the plot. The premise of the film requires attention and emotional engagement, however, the treatment tends to be more focused on local politics than on cinematic sophistication. There are some touching moments, but the majority of the characters are either duped into believing the propaganda or masquerading as Muslims, with no voice of reason to be heard, and no sense of nuance.
The lengthy passages on the subject of the art of education dull the reader’s perception, as the writers’ comprehension of Islam, communism, or any other ideology appears to be as bitter as that of the antagonists of the piece regarding Hinduism and Christianity; the ideas of Islam and conversion appear to have been derived from hate-based WhatsApp groups. Sen, with an adult certification in hand, does not leave much room for imagination in the depiction of brutality in order to evoke an emotional reaction from the audience.
The Kerala Story (Hindi)
Director: Sudipto Sen
Cast: Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, Siddhi Idnani, Pranav Misshra,
Runtime: 138 minutes
Storyline: Follows three nursing students in Kerala who are brainwashed by an extremist group into thinking that their gods are no good and that only Islam can be the guiding light.
SOURCE:- HINDUSTAN TIMES
