Father-Daughter Taboo Film Is Fine, But Not Love Jihad?

At a recent press conference, Vipul Amrutlal Shah addressed the backlash against his film The Kerela Story 2: Goes Beyond. The producer spoke about how the film narrowly avoided a two week delay after the Kerela High Court judgement was overturned on appeal.

Released on February 27, 2026, the sequel to The Kerala Story triggered widespread debate. The film portrays controversial claims about religious conversions and the concept of love jihad across Indian states. These themes have divided public opinion.

During the interaction, Vipul Shah responded to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who reportedly called the film nonsense propaganda. Vipul countered by referring to Anurag’s 2011 film That Girl In Yellow Boots. He questioned the credibility of such criticism.

The producer denied allegations that the film targets any religion. He stated that neither The Kerala Story nor its sequel was made with bias. According to him, criminals must be portrayed as they are, irrespective of religious identity.

Vipul also drew a comparison with a character named Rehman Dakait from Dhurandhar directed by Aditya Dhar. He argued that if a criminal belongs to a particular religion, filmmakers cannot alter that fact for convenience.

However, several viewers disagreed with his remarks. Many social media users argued that the comparison was misplaced. Critics claimed that the sequel presents a sweeping and damaging narrative about Indian Muslims.

Observers pointed out that such portrayals could affect communal harmony in a diverse country like India. The debate continues to intensify online. Supporters and critics remain sharply divided.

Vipul also suggested that while commercial platforms like the Filmfare Awards may ignore the film, it could receive recognition at the national level. He cited the reception of the original film as an example. The controversy surrounding the sequel shows no signs of slowing down.