The Kerala Story-Utterly Chilling!

'The Kerala Story' opens in an interrogation chamber, where Shalini (Adah Sharma) gives details about her horrible and sad history and the reason for her current problem. Her narrative centres around four college students attending a Nursing School in Kasargauda, Kerala. The story is told through the eyes of Shalini, who has a close relationship with her roommates Gitanjali (Siddhi Idnani), Nimah (Yogita Bihani), and Asifa (Sonia Balani). Unbeknownst to others, Asifa is working on exposing and converting her roommates to Islam. She ensures that the girls are radicalized and indoctrinated into the religion using hallucinogenic medications with the help of her male colleagues from outside. Shalini is forced to marry someone other than the man who impregnated her after becoming pregnant, and she then starts on a long journey to Syria via Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Adah Sharma's portrayal of Shalini, later called Fatima, is strong and heartbreaking. Her dedication to nailing the Malayali accent is visible on screen. While many of the actresses, including Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani, are rookies, they give their all to bring their stories to life. Director Sudipto Sen chose a delicate and complex subject, and the treatment given to the picture makes it a challenging watch, with various unsettling sequences, moments, and exchanges. The director has skillfully generated moments in the film that elicit natural discomfort in spectators. It can be challenging to create a balance while dealing with sensitive subjects, but Sudipto appears to do it with ease. Prasantanu Mohapatra has done a fantastic job of portraying the scenes in Afghanistan and the Afghanistan-Pakistan border regions. However, the film's background score falls short. It's overbearing and detracts from the story.

The dormitory sequences with the girls are beautifully done, but there are some monotonous and uninteresting moments in the film, especially when Asifa tries to brainwash and radicalize Shalini. The incredibly horrible rape scene in the ISIS slave camp requires utmost caution. At times, the film feels more like a radicalization tutorial than a pleasure for the audience. It also goes to extremes to convey its point, which may be upsetting for audiences from various communities in our country. After seeing 'The Kerala Story,' you may have various doubts concerning the country's current status. This thought-provoking film is unpleasant and certainly has an impact.

My Thoughts...

My message to those who appeared dissatisfied and are labelling it a story for elections and political gain. One thing I'd like you to understand is that you can call this film propaganda, dismiss it as unimportant, or flee reality, but you can't abandon the Truth; it's not looking for your approval; these events and incidents have been documented legally, and the government and courts have acknowledged the malicious practices of Islamic organizations like PFI. There have been hundreds of thousands of such cases filed. Treat every incidence of Love Jihad, forced conversions to be an ISIS sex slave, as it has occurred to our own sisters."Kerala Story" is a must-see film that provides a compelling and thought-provoking message about the truth of how innocent Hindu girls are being targeted by ISIS members for their own selfish reasons. The film effectively illustrates the gravity of the situation and the imperative for the Hindu community to become more alert and awake to such crimes.