After raking in over INR 300 crores (USD 38 million) during its theatrical run, The Kerala Story will now be available for streaming online. ZEE5 Global will provide streaming services from February 16th onwards.
Inspired by real events, The Kerala Story delves into the sensitive and complex issue of the alleged radicalisation and conversion of young Hindu women to another religion in Kerala, forcing them into joining terror outfits.
The film had its theatrical release on May 5, 2023. The film’s blockbuster performance at the box office created sky-high anticipation for the film’s streaming release and now with ZEE5 Global taking up the world digital rights, The Kerala Story is set to stream in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam languages.
About The Kerala Story
The film follows the story of three girls: Shalini (Adah Sharma), Nimah (Yogita Bihani), and Geetanjali (Siddhi Idnani), who are manipulated by their roommate, Asifa (Sonia Balani), into converting to another religion.
The movie is divided into two parts: the first half portrays how the girls were manipulated into converting to another religion, while the second half shows Shalini’s journey as Fatima Ba – a converted member of a terrorist group and her imprisonment in Afghanistan.
It also shows how men were brainwashed too to woo Hindu and Christian women of Kerala in the name of love, convert them, and convince them to join war zones. The shocking incidents occurred between 2018-19, when a rising number of Kerala youths had come under the influence of a terrorist group.
Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer at ZEE5 Global said, “Resonant stories that capture South Asia’s culture and people have helped ZEE5 Global garner immense viewership worldwide while breaking language and cultural barriers. We are now proud to bring to our viewers an all-new story of grit and resilience with The Kerala Story. Widely acclaimed for its compelling plot, powerful narrative and emotionally stirring performances, the film promises viewers a riveting watch that is both gripping and thought-provoking”.
The courageous makers of The Kerala Story, Vipul Shah and Sudipto Sen deserve to be applauded for having put in immense hard work to bring this film to life. After the stupendous success at the box office, creating history worldwide making it the highest-grossing female lead film of all time, we are now looking forward to the film’s release on ZEE5 Global.
Actress Adah Sharma.
She said the collaboration with the streaming platform will allow the film to extend its reach to a much wider audience.
Asked about his reaction, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, Producer of The Kerala Story said, “After the tremendous success at the box office, we have been receiving thousands of mails asking when will The Kerala Story come on OTT. So, the wait is finally over and here it is. The Kerela Story is going to premiere on ZEE5 Global and it’s going to be an amazing experience to sit in your house, watch the film and there are so many moments where you want to rewind and rewatch or watch the film again and again.”
Tackling such a sensitive topic and translating it into a film is no small feat; it’s a challenge we willingly embraced. However, every filmmaker wants an assurance about his work and The Kerala Story’s box office performance was my assurance and gratification to continue to have faith in myself.
Sudipto Sen, Director of The Kerala Story.
He also urged those who haven’t viewed the film to watch it. “Many are living in the dark about the reality of the situation and for those, this film will lift that darkness and show them the naked truth as the stories in the film are real. The faces in the film are real. The fates and consequences of the characters in the film are real,” Sen said.