The Kerala High Court on Friday vacated the interim stay on the release of The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond. The film had been slated to hit theatres on February 27.
A Division Bench of Justices SA Dharmadhikari and PV Balakrishnan overturned the earlier order of single-judge Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, who had temporarily restrained the film’s release while hearing a plea challenging its censor certification.
On Thursday, Justice Thomas had directed a 15-day stay and asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to consider objections submitted against the movie. The court had also questioned the CBFC’s decision to grant the film a U/A certificate, observing that the board had not adhered to the prescribed guidelines.
The producers promptly filed an appeal against the order the very same day. Acknowledging the urgency, the Division Bench held a special sitting at 7:30 pm that evening to consider the challenge. After a hearing that lasted more than two hours, the Bench reserved its judgment.
The court pronounced its decision at 4 pm on Friday, lifting the interim stay and paving the way for the film’s release. The producers have not yet announced a revised release date.
