Trade analyst Taran Adarsh said on 17 May, ‘Kerala Story’ has become the second highest grossing Hindi film of 2023. He added that the film has claimed the second spot after Shah Rukh starrer Pathan and has left behind Ranbir-Shraddha’s Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar and Salman Khan starrer Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan.
The film’s box office collection in India so far is 156.69 cr.
In a tweet, he wrote, “Kerala Story is now the second highest grossing Hindi film of 2023… leaving behind TJMM and KBKJ to claim the second spot… [Week 2] Fri 12.35 Cr, Sat 19.50 Cr, Sun 23.75 Cr, Mon 10.30 Cr, Tue 9.65 Cr. Total: 156.69 cr. ,
According to Adarsh, the top five films of 2023 are currently Pathan, The Kerala Story, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Bhola. The reports also said that considering the current numbers the film is likely to cross 200 crores in another week.
This number comes despite a ban order in West Bengal and a de facto ban in Tamil Nadu.
On 8 May, the Chief Minister of Bengal Mamata Banerjee ordered a ban on the film, calling it a “distorted tale”. Communities that can give rise to order issues in West Bengal Government of Tamil Nadu told the SC that the government did not impose any shadow ban on the film and theaters stopped screening the film due to poor response from the audience.
In addition the film is given tax free status In BJP ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana.
Directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amritlal Shah, ‘The Kerala Story’ depicts how thousands of young women were allegedly brainwashed to join the Islamic State (IS) and go to countries like Syria and Afghanistan .
Politicians of varying colors weighed in with their views, as they have done since the release of the teaser, provoking extreme statements from both sides of the divide. The BJP has supported the film on women being forcibly converted to Islam and recruited by ISIS, while opposition parties have accused the filmmakers of spreading hatred. PM Modi credited the film with exposing terror conspiracies and used it to attack the Congress during an election rally in Karnataka.
The “Kerala Story” was initially portrayed as a “discovery” of the events behind the “nearly 32,000 women” allegedly missing from Kerala. Later it was changed to three.
(with inputs from agencies)
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