Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has called the success of Adah Sharma's The Kerala Story a 'dangerous trend' and said that he is not looking forward to watching the film. The Kerala Story has emerged as one of the biggest hits of 2023, crossing the Rs 200 crore box office collection mark.
Shah, who is known for expressing his views on various issues, never minces his words when it comes to speaking his mind. Vehemently criticising Sudipto Sen's controversial film, Shah said that 'worthwhile' films like Bheed, Afwaah and Faraaz collapsed as nobody wanted to see them.
Naseeruddin Shah: How long can you go on spreading hate?
In an interview with India Today, Shah called the success of The Kerala Story a 'dangerous trend' and also compared it to Nazi Germany. He shared, "We seem to be heading the way of Nazi Germany where in Hitler’s time, the filmmakers were co-opted, attempted to be co-opted, by the supreme leader to make films praising him and what he has done for the countrymen, and running down the Jewish community. So many master filmmakers in Germany left the place, came to Hollywood, and made movies there. Same thing seems to be happening here."
However, the veteran actor mentioned that he is hopeful that things will change for good. "I have hope that this atmosphere of hate gets fatiguing. How long can you go on spreading hate? I think and I hope that the way it has suddenly engulfed us all, it will also disappear. But it won't be soon," Shah added.
A few days back, actor and politician Kamal Haasan, in a strong-worded statement, also condemned The Kerala Story and called it 'a propagandist film'. Earlier, Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has also criticised the film.
The Kerala Story Controversy
The film depicts how women from Kerala were forcefully tricked through love jihad, impregnated, and trafficked to Iraq and Syria to join the ISIS.
The film found itself at the centre of controversies ever since its trailer was released and several political leaders have accused the film of being aimed at spreading hate in the country.
Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film stars Adah Sharma in the lead role. It hit the big screens on May 5.
