Plot

The film narrates the story of three young girls from different parts of Kerala, focusing 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. The film claims to be a true story, but the selective and alarmist theorizing about the state's global terror links lacks evidence and genuine concern.

Acting

Adah Sharma's portrayal of Shalini, who is renamed Fatima after conversion, is powerful and emotionally stirring. While most of the actors are newcomers, they perform well in bringing their stories to life.

Cinematography

The film has its moments, with Prasantanu Mohaptra capturing the scenes in Afghanistan and the border regions of Afghanistan-Pakistan excellently. However, the background score is overpowering and distracts from the narrative.

Direction

Director Sudipto Sen has opted for a sensitive and complex subject, but the treatment meted out to the film makes it a difficult watch with several disturbing scenes, moments, and dialogues.

Overall

The Kerala Story lacks coherence, while the sensitivity of the subject matter can be challenging to handle, the movie goes to extremes to make its point, making it quite unsettling for audiences belonging to various communities. You can watch it if you can skip the feeling -"based on a true story".

Share this review