WILL THE KERALA STORY 2 RELEASE TOMORROW?
A dry period has begun in Bollywood and it will continue until March 19, when Dhurandhar: The Revenge and Toxic clash at the box office. There’ll be no release in the first two weeks of March – on March 6 and March 13. Exhibitors hoped that this Friday’s release, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, would have got some audiences to the cinemas. Sadly for them, the film’s release might be pushed at the last minute.
As the title suggests, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is the second part of The Kerala Story series. The first part was released in 2023 and managed to open well, at Rs. 6.75 crores, due to the controversial trailer and eye-catching promotions. It went on to do a business of Rs. 220.84 crores. While the first part starred Adah Sharma in the lead role, the second installment features Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha in leading roles.
The trailer was released last week and immediately became a talking point. Some called it a realistic film and the need of the hour. But a section of the audience felt that the film was an attempt to harm the reputation of Kerala. The timing of the release was also questioned since the state goes to elections in a few months. Also, unlike the first part, which focused only on the characters of Kerala, the second part has characters from Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. This also led many to question why the film was named The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond.
The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’s advance booking began on Tuesday, February 24, and until Thursday, February 26, it was underwhelming. It was clear that it won’t open like The Kerala Story. But on the afternoon of February 26, the Kerala High Court put a stay on the release. Theatres across the country began to keep bookings on hold. Meanwhile, the makers immediately filed an appeal at the Kerala High Court. This bench reserved the order passed earlier but is yet to grant its verdict.
Hence, there are chances that once the High Court lifts the stay, the film would be released. At present, there’s no clarity on whether a judgment is expected tomorrow and at what time. But it seems like no morning show of the film will take place. At best, shows can begin from late afternoon or evening on Friday or else, it’ll have a full-fledged release on Saturday, February 28.
Without these hassles, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond would have opened at Rs. 2-3 crores. It now remains to be seen if this controversy helps the collections and whether it can trend extraordinarily just like the first part.