New Delhi: Vipul Shah, producer of The Kerala Story, has remained unfazed following backlash over the film’s National Award wins. The political storm was reignited after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took aim at the film and questioned its merit and intent. The producer, however, chose not to respond directly to the criticism and instead offered a measured statement.
“I respectfully refuse to comment on the CM’s statement. The campaign to derail this truth is not new,” Vipul told the media when reached for comment.
Vipul Shah Teases Sequel to The Kerala Story
Despite the uproar, the producer revealed that conversations regarding a sequel are already underway. Although the project remains in early development stages, Vipul admitted there is a clear intention to take the story forward. “Discussions are on about the sequel but nothing is final yet,” he said.
In a previous interaction with TV9, Vipul reflected on the film’s real-world impact and the response it garnered post-release. According to him, the film stirred deep conversations across communities. “After the film’s release and success, many people from Kerala have told us that the cases have reduced by half,” he noted. However, he didn’t shy away from expressing concern over similar incidents still surfacing elsewhere. “It was sad to know that in the Mira Bhayander area of Mumbai, 27 minor girls have been trapped in such cases in the last few months,” he added.
Shah went on to claim that several individuals and organisations had approached him, offering data on trafficking networks and ongoing efforts to combat them. “The people who came to me are trying to save girls from such happenings. They wanted to give me data of the various organisations that are fighting such causes,” he said.
He further revealed that the film had inspired emotional outreach from families across the country. “Many people have told me that the lives of their daughters have been saved because of The Kerala Story. Women from Kolhapur, Nagpur, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and of course Kerala have reached out to me. I think this is the biggest success of The Kerala Story—that we could help so many lives,” he said.
At the 71st National Film Awards, The Kerala Story took home two honours: Director Sudipto Sen bagged Best Director and Prasantanu Mohapatra was recognised for Best Cinematography.