Plot: ‘The Kerala Story’ narrates the tales of three young girls from various regions of Kerala, with the primary focus on the story of Shalini, who is abducted and subsequently converted to Islam. Shalini is then radicalized. and compelled to join ISIS as a terrorist.
Cast: Adah Sharma, Siddhi Idnani, Pranay Pachauri, Yogita Bihani, Pranav Mishra and Vijay Krishna.
Director: Sudipto Sen
Ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review: The purported radicalization and conversion of young Hindu women to Islam in Kerala, followed by their coercion into joining ISIS, is the subject of the book “The Kerala Story.” According to the movie, the tale of three young girls from various regions of Kerala is genuine.
Beginning in the questioning chamber, The Kerala Story follows Shalini (Adah Sharma) as she describes her gruesome and sad past and the circumstances behind her current predicament. Four college students from Kerala’s Kasargauda have enrolled in a nursing programme in her history. Shalini, who has strong bonds with her roommates Gitanjali (Siddhi Idnani), Nimah (Yogita Bihani), and Asifa (Sonia Balani), tells the story. Asifa is working behind everyone’s back to expose and convert her roommates to Islam. She ensures that the girls are radicalised and indoctrinated into the religion using hallucinogenic drugs with the help of her male colleagues from the outside.
Shalini is forced to marry somebody other than the man who caused her to become pregnant when she falls pregnant, and she then sets off on a protracted journey to Syria via Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Although the scenes in the hostel with the girls are well done, there are other unimpressive and boring parts of the movie, particularly when Asifa tries to radicalise and brainwash Shalini. It’s crucial to use caution while seeing the horrifying rape incident in the ISIS slave camp.
The Kerala Story’s storyline is also highly captivating and holds your attention throughout the entire movie. The three leads’ lives are dramatised, and there is a steady building to the release at the end of the movie. This fits the three-act format nicely.
Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani all give excellent performances that are right on.
The director of the film has expertly crafted scenes in it that cause spectators to feel naturally uneasy. Striking a balance when talking about delicate topics might be difficult, but Sudipto seems to be able to do it with ease. The sceneries in Afghanistan and the areas around the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have been beautifully captured by Prasantanu Mohaptra. The movie’s background music, however, is inadequate. It is overwhelming and takes attention away from the story.
‘The Kerala Story’ is worth watching since the endeavour is sincere and the research is sound (despite all the controversy).