10th May 2023 Mumbai: After Mamata Banerjee forbade The Kerala Story in West Bengal, Anurag Kashyap tweeted: “It is simply wrong.”
In a string of mysterious tweets about ‘propaganda’ films, Anurag Kashyap appears to have voiced his opposition to the ban on The Kerala Story.
The Kerala Story’s trailer received negative reviews before its May 5 release. The Sudipto Sen-directed movie starring Adah Sharma has encountered criticism in a number of states. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, outlawed The Kerala Story’s screening in the region on May 8. In the midst of the excitement around The Kerala Story, Anurag Kashyap tweeted cryptic messages that appeared to be about the ban.
Anurag tweeted that “banning a movie, even if it is “propaganda,” is “just wrong.” Shabana Azmi, a seasoned performer, had earlier criticised the ban on The Kerala Story. Mamata Banerjee recently gave the state chief secretary instructions to make sure the movie is taken down from all West Bengal theatres. She had stated that the choice had been made to “maintain peace in Bengal” and avoid conflict.
Anurag Kashyap tweeted on Wednesday in apparent response to The Kerala Story’s ban in West Bengal, “You agree with the film or not, be it propaganda, counter propaganda, offensive or not, to ban it is just wrong,” he shared a Voltaire quotation.
“I’ll protect your right to express what you have to say, even if I don’t agree with what you have to say,”it said.
Anurag went on to say that not banning a movie is “the right way” to make a point in order to further clarify his position on how to “fight propaganda.” Instead, he suggested that viewers watch Afwaah. The new movie, written and directed by Sudhir Mishra, “talks against misuse of social media and how inherent prejudice is weaponized to create hatred and unrest,” according to Anurag.
“You want to fight propaganda,then gather your friends and watch the movie that discusses social media abuse and how ingrained prejudice is used as a weapon to sow division and unrest.”, Anurag tweeted
It’s named Afwaah and Is currently playing in theatres. Go strengthen your voice. Make your point now. That is the proper method of combat.
The Kerala Story’s trailer, which debuted last month, has drawn criticism for suggesting that 32,000 girls from Kerala vanished and joined ISIS. The film’s creators have just changed the YouTube trailer to focus on just three women instead of the “story of 32,000 women.” Initially, the movie’s trailer implied that it was based on the experiences of more than 32,000 Keralan women who, according to allegations, had been radicalised by extremists.
—by Kashvi Gala