PUNE: A students’ organisation at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) has strongly condemned the decision to confer a national award on The Kerala Story, stating that government-backed recognition for the film is “not simply disappointing, but dangerous”.Filmmaker Sudipto Sen received the Best Director award for The Kerala Story, which also won Best Cinematography at the 71st National Film Awards.The 2023 film has been at the centre of controversy for its portrayal of women in Kerala allegedly being forcefully converted and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (ISIS).In a statement issued on August 2, the FTII Students’ Association declared that The Kerala Story was “not a film, but a weapon”.“The state has once again made its position clear: it will reward propaganda disguised as cinema if it aligns with its majoritarian, hate-filled agenda. The Kerala Story is not a film; it is a weapon. A falsified narrative aimed at vilifying the Muslim community and demonising an entire state that has historically stood for communal harmony, education, and resistance,” the statement read.
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