Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty has triggered fresh political controversy after posting a sharply worded remark on Facebook amid the ongoing debate over the upcoming film The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond.
In the social media post, Sivankutty wrote in Malayalam that while others may choose to “eat cow dung,” people in Kerala would eat whatever they prefer, including beef, mutton and chicken. He wrote, “When you eat cow dung, we in Kerala will eat whatever we like – beef, mutton, chicken, and so on.”
The comment quickly drew attention online and added to the already charged political atmosphere surrounding the film’s release.
Earlier, on 19 February 2026, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan took to X to expose his meltdown to the upcoming sequel, describing the earlier film as “hate-mongering” and accusing the new instalment of pursuing a communal agenda. He said Kerala had already rejected what he termed the “blatant lies” of the first film and would again resist attempts to demonise the State’s secular fabric.
Vijayan also questioned what he described as a double standard in the treatment of artistic expression, stating that fabricated narratives that incite communal discord appear to receive a free pass while critical art is suppressed. He called for unity against efforts to portray Kerala as a hub of extremism.
He wrote, “The reports regarding the release of a sequel to the hate-mongering film ‘The Kerala Story’ should be seen with utmost gravity. Having already seen through the communal agenda and blatant lies of the first part, Kerala will once again reject this attempt to demonise our secular fabric with contempt. It is shocking how fabricated narratives aimed at inciting communal discord receive a free pass, while critical expressions of art get gagged. We must stand united against these attempts to paint our land of harmony as a hub of terror. The truth shall always prevail.”
The reports regarding the release of a sequel to the hate-mongering film ‘The Kerala Story’ should be seen with utmost gravity. Having already seen through the communal agenda and blatant lies of the first part, Kerala will once again reject this attempt to demonise our secular…
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) February 19, 2026
About The Kerala Story 2
The sequel, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under the Sunshine Pictures banner, is scheduled for theatrical release on 27 February 2026. The trailer, unveiled on February 17, has already sparked political and public debate similar to the controversy surrounding the original 2023 film.
According to the makers, the sequel presents three parallel narratives involving Hindu women who allegedly face coercion and religious conversion after relationships with Muslim men. The storylines span Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.
The original The Kerala Story had generated nationwide controversy over its portrayal of alleged forced conversions and recruitment by the Islamic State. Despite the backlash, the film went on to win two honours at the 71st National Film Awards, including Best Director for Sudipto Sen and Best Cinematography for Prasantanu Mohapatra.
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